Make the power. Use the power. Bank the Savings. Real-time solar power with FreeSolar.

When the Queensland Government changed the feed-in tariff under the Solar Bonus Scheme from 44 cents to 8 cents, many people thought that the days of saving with solar power were over.  But, that's not the case.  You can still save!  You just need to rethink the way you use your solar power.  If you missed out on the 44 cent feed-in tariff, FreeSolar can show you how you can still reduce your power bill by replacing the coal-generated power you use during day light hours with clean green solar power.  We will look at your power bill, and recommend a system that will cover your day-time power use.   Every kilowatt hour of solar power used in your home will save you a minimum of 25.38 cents - the amount you would normally pay for the power you use from the grid.  Any solar power you don't use, will be exported back to the grid, and depending on your power retailer, will attract a feed-in tariff of up to 16 cents.

Couple of quick facts about solar power during blackouts.

1. The most common solar, Grid-Connect systems, where you sell the solar power back to the grid, will automatically disconnect from the grid and shut down if there is a blackout. This is done so that when Energex comes to repair the powerlines, they don't get electrocuted by the power that you are generating. This means that, even if you have solar, you still have no power during blackouts.
 
2. Many different brands of inverters will also shut down if the grid surges (as often happens during our summer storms). So it pays to check on your inverter just to make sure that it is working correctly after a big storm. Usually restarting the inverter sorts this out, occasionally a fuse may blow or a breaker will switch off too.
 
3. Off-Grid systems (or Stand Alone Systems) have batteries and do not export power to the grid. These systems will keep your house powered during blackouts and during the worst of our summer storms. 24/7 power with no blackouts and you don't have to pay a cent to the power companies.
 
4. Grid-Connect systems can be converted to Off-Grid by the addition of batteries and changing the inverter. (fast payback period)
 
5. Off-Grid systems are quite complex to design to individual requirements and the design side of an Off-Grid system is far more important than it is with a Grid-Connect system.
 
6. Payback period is very fast now, as there are new hi-tech lead-free batteries available that have become very cost effective and have an operating life of about 10 years, with no maintenance. So 2013 is going to be the year that households start putting batteries with their solar panels and getting rid of the Grid Connection.
 
7. Say Goodbye to the power companies by going off-grid with 24/7 power from Free Solar.
 
8. Commercial Off-grid systems can also be designed to minimise the commercial losses that businesses have had to endure from the Grid Blackouts in SE Queensland. They work like a solar UPS system.
 
9. As the QLD State government has substantially reduced the solar feed-in tariff from 44 cents to 8 cents, it now makes more sense than ever to disconnect from the grid and go with Off-Grid solar.
 
10. As the weather changes with global warming it is predicted that the frequency and intensity of severe weather events such as heatwaves, floods, storms and tornadoes will increase dramatically, so it also makes more sense than ever before to secure your power supply for your house, family and business by going Off-Grid and protecting your property from power blackouts caused by the frequent severe storms.

 
11. The first step is to simply register on the freesolar.com.au website "REGISTER NOW" and in the "Notes" section just request that you want an OFF-GRID system designed for your property.