You got on the solar wagon with a good cause. The most appealing benefit of turning nature's free energy into useful energy, packaged in an ever-inexpensive product that boosts your 'green' information, is that your power expenses can not only be reduced, but you may even wind up earning a monthly profit!

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After installing solar panels, you would be justified in expecting a reduction in the electricity price. What if that isn't the case? Or maybe you've noticed rising expenses and believe your solar performance has declined? Let's look at why your electricity bill is so high with solar panels.

So, Why Is My Power Bill So High?

It can be bothersome and heartbreaking to get a higher-than-expected electricity bill after installing a solar energy system or to have unexpectedly high costs with an existing system. If you're questioning, "Why are my NEM charges so high?" there's definitely a problem that has been fixed. This may be due to underestimated energy use, an undersized solar power system, improper billing under NEM norms, or even system faults. Rest assured that these issues may be identified and addressed with proper investigation and changes.

1. It Is Not Switched On.
It might seem simple, but you'd be shocked at how frequently a solar power setup forgets to turn off the system before leaving or to teach you to do so. Often, the electricity will be turned off at first, like if you continue to wait for a new solar meter. And if it's not left on, it won't perform its magic.

2. You're Consuming More Energy.
"Woohoo! We have renewable energy now, folks! "Crank up the juice!" Unfortunately, if that is your attitude, think again: the fact you have panels put in does not mean you can use considerably more power than before and get away with it.

Remember that if your solar system runs out of power, it will simply start buying energy from the grid. There may be more changes in your house that may be made to reduce power costs and usage.

3. You Use More Electricity At Night.
Unless you further store solar energy in batteries, you must consume sunlight as it is created, requiring the sun to be out. When the full moon is in the sky, you use conventional grid electricity.

4. It Isn't Sunny Enough.
If you're in the thick of a dark black storm, you're not going to get enough energy from the sun. On the contrary, particularly sunny days produce extremely efficient energy generation, so everything should be OK all through the warmer months. When it's really depressing and dull, particularly for a long amount of time, you'll see the difference.

5. Shade From Trees
The row of trees you planted as a barrier to view from your neighbor has expanded, but are they also screening the solar panels in the early hours as well? To ensure maximum efficiency, keep plants clipped and clean.

6. Dust And Filth Build Up.
Trees could limit the amount of sunlight that reaches your panels, but examine the panels themselves. If dust collects on them, it drastically decreases productivity. The good news is that a professional solar panel cleaning can have them shining in no time!

7. Reduced Solar Feed-In Tariff.
A solar feed-in tariff is a credit for surplus solar electricity produced by your system and exported back to the grid. Rates in Queensland range from 4c to 8.5c, based on the contract with your electrical vendor.

8. Houston, We Have A Problem.
Did you know that only one out of every 5000 solar panels suffer from a total manufacturing fault? Indeed, although new solar systems are highly unlikely to fail on some basic level, it is not impossible that something is wrong - and, let's be honest, it was most likely an installation fault.

9. Solar Inverter Errors
Check your inverter for any issues with signals. The most prevalent problems include an absence of an AC power source, poor solar panel insulation resistance, an improperly functioning solar inverter, DC isolator failure, or broken MC4 connections. Depending on the brand of your inverter, we have produced extensive suggestions for error codes and troubleshooting.

How to Cut Down Leftover Bills Under NEM 3.0

There are a few methods of dealing with remaining bill amounts caused by the decreased export rates of NEM 3.0 solar billing. In general, the objective is to keep or consume as much of your solar production as you can rather than selling it to the grid at an inexpensive value.

The best choice is to couple the solar system with a battery. You can use batteries to store excess energy from your solar system rather than giving it back into the electric grid and then utilize that stored power in the evening rather than drawing from the grid.

Let's imagine you generate 10 kWh of extra solar electricity during the day. Instead of selling it to the grid for 7.5 € per kWh, you may store it in a battery and use it at night, saving you $30 per kWh on electricity from the grid.

The goal is to get the most out of each kWh of solar production. In the case below, installing a battery lowers the power cost by $79 per month or approximately $950 per year.

Using battery storage can reduce the remainder of the monthly payment by 50% or more and, in numerous cases, get it down to the highest basic expenses.

As utility prices rise over time, reducing the remainder of the electricity cost adds up to substantial savings. The graph below depicts the total cost of before, after, and solar + battery over 20 years.

  • Without solar, a $306 monthly power cost mounts up to roughly $110,000 over 20 years, assuming a 4% rate increase annually.
  • Using solar alone can save up to $40,000 in power costs over 20 years, with a bill reduction of around 50%.
  • Using solar and batteries may save ~80% of energy bills over 20 years, totaling roughly $80,000.

Yes, you will most likely need to substitute the battery at some point, but this will only drain $10,000 of your $80,000 savings. And, in 10-15 years, home batteries will most undoubtedly cost a few thousand dollars.

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If you're wondering, "Why are my NEM charges so high?" it's essential to look at the likely root cause of your high-power bills. Most difficulties, if they are associated with your NEM plan, system size, energy use routines, or solar system performance, may be handled with the proper changes.

Understanding your solar system and controlling your energy use will help ensure that you get the most out of your investment. Regular maintenance, meticulous billing evaluation, and the use of battery backup can all help to increase savings and cut power bills.