Commercial Solar

How will Commercial Solar Benefit my business?

Solar Panels collect energy from the sun and turn it into electricity.

The Inverter on the wall turns the electricity from the Solar Panels into the same type of electricity we use in our business – that is 240 volt AC. The more panels you have the more your system will generate.

The inverter should be sized to match the output of the panels to ensure the greatest efficiency. During the day you can use your own electricity instead of buying it at 40c.

The bigger the system the bigger the savings on your power bill. A correctly sized unit will deliver the most value.

Simple roof top solar is a perfect fit for any office, shop, club, school, light manufacturing or warehouse.

For bigger industry it is more involved. We assess your usage and load, we consult and design a considered solution. We don’t just guess.

What Solar Rebates do I receive?

Lots of people think the rebates are gone – but that’s not true. The Federal Government still subsidise solar power. In general they pay for about 25% of the system price. Achieved through STC’s (Small-scale Technology Certificates). We trade in your’s at the time of the installation so the price we quote you is the nett amount. Think about it as a co-payment on your contract – paid by the government.

We do all the paperwork so it’s really simple for you!

Feed In Tarriff

The other Rebate commonly referred to is the Feed In Tariff (FiT). This is the rate you receive when you sell excess power back to the grid. Previously subsidised by the State Government, on top of the amount you get back from your Energy Retailer. The State Government has now ceased this initiative but the Retailer still pays you a percentage. It’s currently 5 to 6 cents per kWHr depending on who your Retailer is.
We don’t care too much about the FiT in a Commercial application. The sun shines during the day, you generate your own electricity during the day, you use your own power, and you don’t buy power at 40 cents.

A correctly sized system will pay for itself in under 2.5 years. That’s a 40% ROI. You can’t get 40% on your money anywhere!

And your system is discounted by 25% by the Federal Government, even if you are a Business.

WHY HAVEN’T YOU DONE IT YET!!!

Remember the $20,000.00 immediate tax deduction rules, and you get the GST back.

What Commercial Solar products to use

Buying Solar is a lot like buying any electrical appliance. Let’s use the example of a TV.

TV’s come in all sizes at all different prices. Different brands, different features, different quality, different warranties, big brands, obscure brands, good brands, cheaper brands, good picture and sound quality through to poor picture and poor sound.

Solar Panels and Inverters are the same.

We have all bought a TV before, so we understand this analogy , but we might not have bought Solar before.

Don’t despair! We have used our knowledge and experience to match products together to make choosing simple.

We call our range Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum.

Because it’s a Business we like to use our Silver range of products. Really good panels and good quality European Brand inverters. Reliability is important in business and it’s still a 40% ROI.

We have other options too and can tailor a system specifically to  your needs, your site and your usage patterns. We also consider your budget.

The answers are easy for small to medium business. For big business we offer a full analyses, design and proposal service.

Call or email us to discuss your usage and we can start the ball rolling.

What questions to ask when purchasing a commercial solar system.

ARE YOU A DIVERSIFIED BUSINESS OR ARE YOU WHOLLY RELIANT ON SOLAR?.

This is the really BIG ONE. We are a diversified business. That means we are not wholly dependent on Solar. The comfort to you is that we will be around for a long time to come. You can trust us and we offer you complete peace of mind.

WHO AM I DEALING WITH AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN BUSINESS?

We are a Family Owned and operated business established in 1990. We grew up in Adelaide and plan to retire here – one day.
WHO IS THE BUSINESS OWNER?
Andrew Box is the business owner, and you can ask to talk to him anytime.

WHERE IS YOUR OFFICE?

We are in our own building at 2 Railway Tce, Mile End (corner of Junction Lane). Nice and central.

CAN I COME TO YOUR OFFICE AND LOOK AT SOME PRODUCTS?

Our office is open Monday to Friday from 7:30am to 4:30pm (sometimes later).

HOW MANY PEOPLE WORK IN YOUR OFFICE?

We have 7 full time staff plus our installation crews.

HOW MANY PEOPLE WORK IN YOUR OFFICE?

You can come to our office anytime and check us out.
WHAT ARE YOUR LICENSES AND QUALIFICATIONS?
We are licensed for Solar and General Electrical. Our electricians are fully qualified and trained especially in Solar. We make sure we have lots of mature, experienced people in our business.

ARE YOU FULLY INSURED?

We are fully insured, with QBE. We can provide you with a Certificate of Currency should you need it.

ARE YOU REGISTERED FOR GST?

We are registered for GST.

We do have an ABN, its 32 055 625 039

We do have an ABN, its 32 055 625 039

ARE YOU REGISTERED TO CLAIM STC’S?

We are registered to claim STC’s.

ARE YOU A MEMBER OF THE CLEAN ENERGY COUNCIL?

We are Members of the Clean Energy Council

HOW TO YOU HANDLE WARRANTIES – IF I HAVE ONE?

If you should find you have a warranties, all you need to do is call our office. We will handle the whole thing in-house and keep you informed of the progress.

WHAT’S YOUR EXPERIENCE IN THE BUILDING INDUSTRY?

We are also experienced Roofers, so you can be assured we know how to respect your roof.

First Choice Solar is a division of Character Roofing. We are an experienced Contractor having started up in 1990. We have the systems, knowledge and experience to work safely and simply on nearly any size project you may have.

You can trust us and we offer you complete peace of mind.

How does my Commercial Solar Warranty Work

Warranties in solar are not as simple as it seems. The Panel manufacturers all state similar claims on their brochures. It usually states a 25 year performance warranties and a 10 or 12 year manufacturers guarantee.

The Inverter manufacturers also state similar warranties on their brochures. Inverters usually come with a 5 year manufacturer’s warranty, and some offer for an extended warranty for an additional fee.

The process is to claim through your Retailer. Therefore if you buy your solar power system from First Choice Solar, that would mean claiming through us. Be careful – If the company you purchased through no longer exists or stops trading – you have lost your warranty!

That’s why the calibre, depth and integrity of who you choose to purchase from is so important. Also, bigger isn’t necessarily better. Remember Unleash Solar or The Solar Shop or Solar SA, all are no longer in business.

In the unlikely event of a warranty, email us with all of the details and we will handle it, whilst keeping you informed the whole way.

Do I need batteries?

Please read the page about Batteries in the Residential Section. Click here

We can fit batteries if that’s what your customer wants. Most new builds won’t have batteries, it’s something people might consider later.

Importantly, all the systems we fit are capable of accepting batteries at a later stage.

Peak Metering and how it will affect me

Please read the page about Peak Metering in the Residential section – Click here.

Peak metering is expected to cause about a 20% increase to previous power bills.

Batteries are the best solution. If you haven’t already done so, read the page about Batteries in the Residential Section – Click here.

If you would like a price on a system with batteries, please call us to discuss.

To view our terms and conditions click here.