Commercial Lighting FAQs
REPS is an initiative from the South Australian Government to support local households and businesses in saving energy. Under the REPS scheme, eligible consumers can receive incentives and rebates when upgrading to more energy-efficient hot water, air conditioning, lighting, and more.
The Essential Services Commission of South Australia administers REPS. The Minister for Energy and Mining sets the overall policy framework for REPS. More information is available on their website: ESCOSA – REPS FAQs
You can contact Trades Services SA on 1300 430 917, email customerservice@mactradeservices.com.au or complete the online application form.
A commercial lighting upgrade involves replacing high-pressure sodium, metal halide, fluorescent, halogen and/or incandescent globes with LED lighting that has equivalent lighting output.
To speak with our team, call us on 1300 430 917. We’re available 8.30 AM to 4.30 PM, Monday to Friday (ACST).
New installations which don’t involve replacing existing lights aren’t eligible for REPS and will be charged at market rates. Any additional parts or materials, electrical switchboard work or upgrades and/or scissor lift hire may also incur an additional cost, depending on the site and the size of the job.
Hot Water Plumbing FAQs
REPS is an initiative from the South Australian Government to support local households and businesses in saving energy. Under the REPS scheme, eligible consumers can receive incentives and rebates when upgrading to more energy-efficient hot water, air conditioning, lighting, and more.
The Essential Services Commission of South Australia administers REPS. The Minister for Energy and Mining sets the overall policy framework for REPS. More information is available on their website: ESCOSA – REPS FAQs
You can contact MAC Trade Services on 1300 430 917, email reps@tssa.com.au or complete the online application form.
For a free, no-obligation quote on upgrading your system, please fill out one of the forms above. One of our friendly staff members will contact you as soon as possible.
To speak with our team, call us on 1300 430 917. We’re available 9 AM to 5 PM, Monday to Friday (ACST).
Our technicians primarily work in the Adelaide Metropolitan area and within 1 to 1.5 hours travel of the CBD. If you’re outside this area, give us a call, and we can advise you if any extra travel charges may apply.
Commercial Batteries FAQs
Appropriate sizing of a battery is dependent on its desired use case within your business.
For example, if your battery is intended to capture surplus solar otherwise exported to the grid, then a battery can be sized to take advantage of this use case. If your battery is intended to provide blackout support for a certain length of time, then it would require a different approach to determining the appropriate size. Other use cases exist and due to the complex nature of batteries within a business, it is best to reach out to a trusted expert who can understand your business needs and present an option linked to your specific business objective.
Batteries can be used in multiple ways to create multiple value streams for your business. The greater the number of use cases that can be applied, the greater than value that can be extracted. For example a business can use a battery to:
- Increase solar self-consumption
- Back-up supply in the event of a blackout
- Shave Peaks in energy demand
- Energy arbitrage (charge in Off Peak and discharge in Peak)
- Leverage market interfacing opportunities
The benefits are site specific and driven by the battery use case. Our experts can assist in determining the benefits specific to your business.
Storing Solar Energy
Adding battery storage to your on-site solar system will enable your organisation to capture any excess renewable energy being generated by your solar system and then use that energy for your business operations when your demand is higher than your solar can generate, or when the sun is not shining. This reduces the amount of fossil fuelled energy you purchase from the grid, reducing your overall carbon footprint.
Residential Batteries FAQs
Popular battery sizes for Australian homes are around 10 to 15kWh, the most suitable sized battery depends on your energy goals
Most solar batteries are warranted for at least 10 years, and have expected lifespans of around 20 years or more. Just like your house or car, there are a variety of things that can influence how long your battery investment may last, including:
The type of solar battery: its composition and materials
Usage: how many cycles your battery is put through on a daily or weekly basis, and how deep those cycles are
- Increase solar self-consumption
- Back-up supply in the event of a blackout
Taking good care of your battery, following the manufacturer’s recommendations for use and maintenance, as well as choosing a premium product and reliable provider, can help to ensure that it remains healthy and efficient, optimising the life expectancy and increasing the return on your investment.
Adding a battery into your existing system is a fantastic way to add more value to your home energy solution. Having a battery makes your home more self-reliant, while optimising the benefits of solar energy production. Here’s how to get started with adding a battery to your existing system:
- Review your current solar energy production: are you producing more than you consume?
- Review your current electricity consumption: do you use power during the day or at night?
- Speak to a MAC Trade Services consultant to understand which storage options would integrate into your current system, and whether you need additional solar panels installed to make this work.
- Let your MAC TS consultant show you the payback period you could achieve and the expected savings to your energy costs over the years to come.
If you have a battery connected to your solar system, you may be able to have some electricity in the event of a blackout. However, the exact amount of energy you will have, what you can power, and for how long will vary from system to system.
Business Solar FAQs
LGCs are available for solar energy systems that are above 100kW. In a similar way to STCs, LGCs are a government incentive for installing solar energy systems, however, the way in which the incentive is applied to the system is different to STCs. The main difference is that they cannot be deemed upfront like STCs can.
As a guide, one LGC is equal to one megawatt hour of eligible renewable electricity. Once created and validated, these certificates act as a form of currency and can be sold and transferred to other individuals and businesses at a negotiated price. LGCs are usually sold to electricity retailers, who are required to surrender a set number of certificates to the Clean Energy Regulator each year.
For more detailed information on LGCs, visit the Clean Energy Regulator website.
STCs are government incentives that help to reduce the upfront cost of installing your energy solution, and apply to systems that are below 100kW. That’s all residential size systems and some commercial size systems. The number and value of STCs your solution receives differs depending on its size and location in Australia. To be eligible for STCs, your solar solution needs to be installed by a Clean Energy Council accredited installer, and ZEN only uses these.
For more detailed information on STCs, visit the Clean Energy Regulator website.
A solar feed-in-tariff is the amount that your electricity retailer pays you for any electricity your solar energy solution generates that you don’t use or store, and is instead fed back into the grid.
Feed-in tariffs differ between states and retailers, and between the years in which a solar energy system was installed. If you are unsure of the feed-in tariff you should be getting for your solar energy or how long you will be receiving that tariff for, speak to your electricity retailer or an energy advisory service in your area.
The time it takes to have your solution installed and up and running will depend on a few factors like the size of your system, and how long your energy provider takes to arrange any necessary meter alterations and your grid connection. MAC Trade Services will help you with all necessary paperwork and arrange the required applications for your solution, but, we cannot control how long your energy provider takes to carry out their work and have you up and running. We will keep you in the loop regarding the progress of your solution and any holdups along the way. The installation itself will typically take up to one day for a residential size system.
Residential Solar FAQs
Solar panel manufacturers are ‘ranked’ into three tiers. Tier 1 solar panels are panels that are manufactured by big brands who have a good reputation in the industry. As these companies have generally been around for more than a few years, you’re a lot safer investing in Tier 1 companies than Tier 2 or 3. Many solar companies – us included – will state that their solar panels are Tier 1. But without direct access to the Bloomberg-published list, it can be difficult to know if the retailer is using the Bloomberg tier system.
When you get a quote for your new solar system, make sure to ask for verification of their Tier 1 status. Either ask for the criteria they’re basing their Tier 1 classification on or ask about the manufacturer itself. A trustworthy solar retailer will be happy to provide you with this information help you make an informed choice.
Small-Scale Technology Certificates (STCs) are government incentives that help to reduce the upfront cost of installing your energy solution, and apply to systems that are below 100kW. That’s all residential size systems and some commercial size systems. The number and value of STCs your solution receives differs depending on its size and location in Australia. To be eligible for STCs, your solar solution needs to be installed by a Clean Energy Council accredited installer, and MAC Trade Services only uses these.
Thanks to falling prices, the days of having all your solar panels facing north to make sure you produced enough energy to justify the cost of your system are gone. It’s now more important to make sure your panels match your electricity usage.
Having solar panels on your east-facing roof is perfect for those that use a lot of power in the morning; these will capture the morning sun and give you electricity when you need it most. Conversely, installing solar panels on your west-facing roof is perfect if you use a lot of power in the afternoon or early evening. This setup works well in summer to cool down your house at the end of a long, hot day.
In most circumstances, well-installed solar panels will last for up to 25 years.
It’s important to understand the warranties that come with your solar panels. Solar panels come with a materials and workmanship warranty, and a performance warranty.
The materials and workmanship warranty is to cover poor materials or workmanship in the manufacture of the panel itself. Generally, these warranties are between five and ten years, meaning the solar panels are expected to be free of any material or workmanship defects for at least the warranty period.
In addition to this, the solar panel performance warranty is typically for 25 years, in line with the expected lifespan of the panel. This warranty sets the minimum performance expected from the panel for every year of its operation. To be conservative, this assumes that the minimum performance is what your panels will achieve and, in many cases, the actual performance can be higher.
Solar systems are very low maintenance. The output of your system may be reduced if the panels become dirty.
Natural rainfall will often wash the panels and sufficiently remove accumulated dust and dirt. You may want to consider proactively cleaning your panels to optimise their performance or to account for areas where you experience higher than normal exposure to dust, dirt or other debris.
If you are looking to add more solar panels to your existing system, the most cost-effective option is often to just add a second system to your property that sits side-by-side with your current system.
Be aware that upgrading your system with more panels or battery storage may also result in losing your current feed-in tariff, and the requirements for adding panels or battery storage may differ from state to state. Our consultants will be able guide you to the best solution.
The time it takes to install your solution and get it up and running depends on a few factors like the size of your system, and how long your energy provider takes to arrange any necessary meter alterations and your grid connection.
MAC Trade Services helps you with all necessary paperwork and arranges the required applications for your solution, but, we cannot control how long your energy provider takes to carry out their work and make the system operational. We will keep you in the loop on the progress of your solution and any holdups along the way. Our installation work typically takes up to one day for a residential size system.
In most circumstances, a property will be suitable for a solar system – it will just be a case of determining how to best install it and the benefits it will provide.
Determining these details depends on several factors, such as the orientation and space available on your roof, any shading on the space available, the state and age of your switchboard, and your electricity usage patterns.
Situations where MAC Trade Services may recommend that your property is not suitable for solar may include if you have very little available area for panels, you have a lot of consistent shading on the available areas, or your switchboard needs significant work to safely accommodate the system.
Even in these more complex cases, your MAC Trade Services consultant will talk you through the restrictions with your property before helping you decide whether or not to proceed with solar at your property.