Why do people turn to solar in tough times?

Today I thought we would talk about why our job board is bulging at the seams with solar jobs. We had a similar phenomenon during the GFC and I think it comes down to number of things but the most potent is the outstanding financial return that solar gives our clients. It’s also not even a one off financial return it is day after day, year after year and then that return grows with every power price rise.

Better than the banks, better than the stock market at the moment.

During the last recession Australia apparently had to have one. Of all the sad facts, so many Australian's never had full time employment again. Manufacturing sector jobs and all those other once thought of jobs for life simply dried up. 10.8% unemployment for years afterwards but the data of who was affected the most showed people in their 50’s and 60’s. The full time employment opportunities for that demographic just evaporated. They were hard times.

I think this time it will be different and the recovery much more buoyant as this is a different kettle of fish. But you never know. This pandemic has really highlighted levels of disparity within different tiers of our society so what will actually happen will be anyone’s guess but it pays to hope for the best.

Or plan for the worst.

This is where solar power has been such a winner. We can make a serious dent in your power bills for decades. It helps take the pressure off people when financial times tighten. It frees up some disposable income when disposable income is in short supply. Essentially it gives you some level of control over something that historically we haven’t had much control over and that the source of the energy we use within the home.

Is now the time to stop thinking about quality for your solar system? Or jump onto a bill busting bargain with poor quality components, the lowest price installation and no after sales service?

I would think the answer would be 'stick with quality products from quality local providers'. These mainland suppliers know they are never coming back if something goes wrong so they can sell junk with impunity and that money also leaves the community forever. Now is not the time to be sending our money out of the state. The local economy needs every shot in the arm it can get.

Buying junk solar systems is just kicking the can down the road for another day. A short term sugar hit then a financial toothache sometime in the future. Quality product is an investment, cheap and cheerful is a punt with low odds.

Solar is and has always been a marathon not a sprint to the finish.

Solar rebates are in their wind down phase with a drop in incentives growing every year and while at the moment the solar rebate is paying for the majority of the panels of these nasty systems but that rebate in a few more years will be essentially worthless and any replacement components or systems will not be subsidised. They will be full price. So while solar still has large subsides invest that money into quality gear. LG and Qcell both offer panels with a full 25 year build warranty. (Thats panel replacement, labour and freight) Our SolarEdge solar optimisers have a 25 year warranty and the SolarEdge inverters have 12 years warranty.

This in my opinion is where you should be investing your subsidisation. Using it to leverage into a rock solid investment has to be better than blowing it on what we call in the industry landfill solar because thats where the low quality stuff seems to end up in reasonably short order.

The fact that our job board is bulging with solar jobs at the moment is testament that the Tasmanians are no fools and will not be duped into wasting their hard earned on these fly by night cowboys.