Solar Savers is helping pensioners install solar with no upfront costs.
About Solar Savers
Solar Savers is a new way for councils to help pensioners install solar, take control of their bills and protect themselves from future price rises. We make sure that every Solar Savers household will save money and be better off by participating in the program.
Your solar system
You will receive one of the best 3kW solar systems available:
- Hanwa QCells solar panels: These German-engineered solar panels are effective, reliable and safe.
- Fronius inverter: This top-quality inverter, made in Austria by Fronius, converts the power from your panels so that it can be used in your home.
- Schletter GmbH mounting system: This German-designed mounting system is used to attach the panels to your roof.
- RADOX cable: This Swiss-made cable is double-insulated, designed to be long-lasting and stand up to harsh weather.
Your solar system comes with a ten-year warranty on parts and a seven-year warranty on workmanship.
Solar Savers is offering 3kW systems (10 panels). The approximate cost is $5,250 (depending on your location and roof). Solar Savers will provide you with a quote so you know the exact costs before agreeing to take part.
Installing your solar system
Your solar system will be installed by iEnergytech, an award-winning Australian-owned company based in Melbourne. After a thorough selection process, we have chosen iEnergytech because of their very high design and safety standards.
Every solar system is carefully designed and installed by iEnergytech’s highly skilled team of professional solar installers.
Who can participate
Solar Savers is supporting pensioners in participating council areas to install quality, reliable and affordable solar.
Contact us if you:
- own your home
- have a Government Pension Card (eg. aged or disability)
- are usually at home when the sun in shining
- have average to high electricity use (13 kWh/day) – contact us if you’re unsure
- don’t currently have solar panels on your home.
Marilyn jumps at the chance to go solar
Marilyn is a Manningham resident who recently had solar installed through Solar Savers.Marilyn had been thinking about getting solar, but wasn’t sure how to go about it. When she saw an article about Solar Savers in the local paper, she jumped at the opportunity. The fact that the program was endorsed by council and had already been trialled in Darebin filled her with confidence.
Being able to repay the cost of her solar system over time means that Marilyn has been able to buy a split system to replace her old gas ducted heating, bringing her energy bills down even more.
Marilyn felt well-informed and supported with Solar Savers, making the experience ‘painless’. She encourages anyone interested in solar to sign up.
Going solar an easy decision for Dianne
Dianne, a pensioner living in Maroondah, always thought that solar was a great idea. However, she didn’t have the spare money to afford it, and didn’t know which companies to trust.When she found out about council’s Solar Savers program she jumped at the opportunity to get solar with no upfront costs and support from council. Because council explained how the program worked and had done the research on which solar system to get, Dianne felt like solar it was ‘handed to her on a platter’. With Solar Savers, the decision to get solar panels was an easy one.
Dianne found the solar installers polite and helpful. They answered all her questions and tidied up after themselves. Dianne is looking forward to seeing how the panels save her money off her electricity bill. Most of all, though, she just wants to do her bit to help the environment.
Dianne’s advice for anyone thinking about installing solar through the Solar Savers program? ‘Do it!’
Why Solar Savers is for pensioners
Our research shows that pensioners are an ideal group to install solar because they:
- use most of their energy during the daytime (when solar panels make electricity)
- usually own their own homes
- spend more of their income on energy costs
- benefit from reduced cooling costs
- are interested and support solar energy.
How it works
We make solar simple by doing the planning for you. Here’s how it works:
- We check that solar is right for you, making sure that your solar system will pay for itself in energy savings from day one.
- We arrange a quote for a solar system so you know the costs before agreeing to take part.
- You approve the quote.
- We organise for the solar system to be installed.
- We support you to understand and get the most out of your new solar system.
- You gradually pay for your solar system over ten years.
Paying for solar
With Solar Savers, you can pay off your solar system over 10 years with an affordable loan. At the same time, your solar system saves you money on electricity bills.
All Solar Savers households will be at least $100 in front at the end of every year – and some households will save more. For example, with repayments on a 3kW system costing around $660 per year ($55 per month), we check to make sure solar will save you at least $760 per year on your electricity bill.
For households participating in Solar Savers, Bank Australia is offering low-interest loans to help install solar. Bank Australia is a 100% customer-owned bank that is committed to responsible lending.
If you prefer, you can pay for the system upfront, organise your own finance, or add the cost of the solar system to your mortgage. You don’t have to choose the Bank Australia loan to participate in Solar Savers.
Find out how to participate in Solar Savers
