A dream has just come true! After wanting solar panels for years, I've just had a 9.7 kilowatt photovoltaic array installed on my roof! Not only have these solar panels been installed just in time for a scorching summer, but the whole thing was suspiciously easy.
Truth be told, I didn't know where to start, so the first thing I did was contact a couple of companies for quotes: SolarZero and Endless Energy. Both companies were easy to work with and answered all my stupid questions. They looked at my power bill, looked at my house & roof layout, and quoted me a couple of different options.
Once I had the quote I liked the most, I contacted my bank (ANZ) and applied for one of their Good Energy 1% interest loans which was approved that afternoon.
From there, I paid a 50% deposit and a week later my panels arrived on a pallet. On the following week a team of installers ascended to my roof, installing 22 Longi panels (440 watts each) and a 7.5 kW inverter from Solax. The job of the inverter is to convert the DC power generated by the solar panels into useful AC power for my house, car charger and appliances. It's also got connections for a home storage battery if I wish to install one in the future.
The entire install took three days, with the final inspection taking place a fortnight later. The initial quote from Endless Energy was $18,129 however I should add that this was a discounted price done for me as they have a deal in place for Ecotricity employees.
The final install cost was $21,004 in total ($2875 more than quoted) due to the power meter needing to be moved to the outside of the house, as well as the purchase of a hot water cylinder timer, and two extra power outlets installed in two different rooms (old houses never have enough outlets!).
The entire build was really painless and the installation team from Gloys Group were fun to have around. But... was it all worth it? Well, we're going to find out soon because my first power bill will arrive any day now and I'll make a follow-up video which will tell me the payback times, so please hit the Subscribe button and feel free to tell me what questions you have in the comments and I'll do my best to respond.
And if you're keen on cutting your carbon footprint, come and join us at Ecotricity, which is now New Zealand's only climate positive electricity provider! That means by switching today, you're actually turning back the clock on Climate Change, while saving money in the process.
Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, it's not! Ecotricity is real, with really affordable electricity, thanks to it being purely renewable.
Head to and chuck in your address to see how much money & carbon you can save right now. It's that easy and it makes a real, positive difference for your kids and their kids.
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By: Ecotricity NZ Title: I got HEAPS of solar panels installed! Sourced From: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bkUESz2XvQ
