Going solar made simple

Victorians currently have up to six months to use a subsidy to install solar panels on their homes.

Solar On is a local solar panel installation business, that says reliable solar panels can cut bill costs by 50 to 80 per cent.

“It'll do a big impact on anyone's energy usage; we've done jobs where it can help with up to 80 per cent of people’s bills,” Solar On contractor Shaymus Ryan said.

He said for those who are considering going solar, the Victorian Government’s current $1400 rebate could encourage people to take the plunge.

If you want to take an extra step and use solar power at night, there is up to a maximum of $3500 rebate for solar batteries provided by the government.

“People have a high night-time usage more or less so when the sun goes down, the solar is not working. So it [batteries] just helps it get through during the night,” Shaymus said.

So where do you go to get the job done properly?

Shaymus said Solar On was one of the few businesses that had its workers “here from the start to the finish”.

“We’re the local people that will come out to your job and talk to you about what you need, and we’ll be the exact same people that come in and install it,” he said.

“We’re not really salesmen, we’re tradies — we don't really have any salesman assisting us.

“We’re the whole process and you'll see us on the streets — we’re working everywhere, we've grown up in the area.”

Getting a new solar installation can require a range of administration tasks, and Shaymus said Solar On was there to help with that.

This includes when getting your solar panels cleaned and tested, whether it is 12 months or even twice a year for those who live on farms.

At the end of the day, going solar is “clean energy” that can help in reducing emissions and avoid “dirty power”.

It is another step in environmental sustainability — set up for locals, by locals.