Enphase Homeowner Stories AU 2018

Households with Enphase Microinverters get the best out of bad conditions, such as shading, overcast days or ageing modules and even more out of optimal conditions. AC Batteries make it easy to store excess energy produced for use later. Take it from a few of our happy system owners who sound off on the results they're seeing.

Submit Your Story

This time lapse view of the Masons' system in Enlighten shows off their efficient usage at peak production times during the day.

We had ten (10) solar panels installed in May 2016, as a way of gaining some independence from the power company. I have our spa pool and hot water controlled by timers. We try to spread the load of other appliances when these are not in use.

Even though we were using our solar as efficiently as we could, we found we still were exporting up to 50 percent of our generated solar power, particularly over summer. So we had three (3) 1.2 kw batteries installed in May this year, which has made a huge difference. We are now using over 80 percent of our own power.

-- Brent and Berwyn Mason

Prior to installing the Enphase system we were mostly unaware of our energy usage, but MyEnlighten allows us to track all of our power consumption, identify appliances or activities that draw the most power and plan our daily use in order to minimise cost and maximise the benefits of the Enphase system.

-- Mark Derbyshire

We have 4 kW of solar panels and a matching 4 kW of Enphase batteries. The system has performed without a hitch. The addition of batteries has significantly reduced our electricity bill. In fact, over the summer months we have not paid out anything at all. The income from the Feed In Tariff (~11c/kWh) has more than covered any electricity we've had to purchase.

If we use too many appliances at one time... we draw from the grid. We have overcome this to some extent by using large current appliances sequentially rather than at the same time. Overall we are very happy, and would recommend considering including Enphase batteries with any system.

-- Norm Cheale

The garage setup of the Enphase system, next to the switchboard, is compact and very neat. With a monthly report via e mail, the Enphase system is just perfect. And the savings have to be seen to be believed. Our four month old Enphase system already shows us how to use our energy more efficiently, and we look forward to years of free power usage.

-- Mal & Bob Stone

We have found ourselves consulting MyEnlighten on a daily basis to check on optimum times for running the dishwasher, washing machine, and dryer. We also take advantage of the summer sun to run the air conditioning during very hot days. The consumption portion of our power bills has dropped from around $400 per quarter to under $30 per quarter. The next step will be the addition of Enphase AC Batteries.

Our Enphase system has been running perfectly for over two years, and we expect it to pay for itself within five or six years. All in all, the Enphase system has been an exceptionally good investment.

-- Hugh Irvine

This time lapse view of the Wilkins' multi-arrayed microinverters in Enlighten shows how the output changes throughout the day as the sun (and clouds) move over the system.

Our system was installed April 2017. Our pre-solar Origin Energy account for Nov/Dec 2016+Jan 2017 = $778.86. Our Origin Energy Account for Nov/Dec 2017+Jan 2018 (same period exactly, now with solar) = $8.52. Yes, almost zero!!!

The house is an "all electric" household (no gas available). So the figures above cover all hot water via a "standard" 400 litre off-peak storage tank.

-- Dianne Wilkins & Dale Eder

Our electricity bill has gone from $800 per annum to approx $200.

-- Mandy Bruce

This time lapse view of Jim Sheaves' system in Enlighten shows his efficient energy usage, including working the tariff charging system to his advantage.

On cessation of the government subsidy, after seven years in credit, my bill soared to $200. I installed six (6) additional panels and two (2) 1.2 kW batteries. First quarter bill - $75.

Found a battery charge adjustment program and experimented. Second quarter bill - $26.

Settled on charging batteries from 1am to 4pm in off peak @0.15c/kWh. Third & latest bill - $0.75c credit. That will do me!

-- Jim Sheaves

We had our Enphase system installed in December 2016 and we love using MyEnlighten! Information on power usage and production is readily available via the MyEnlighten website or mobile app and having that regular feedback gives us the confidence to manage daily energy use, while still ensuring enough Enphase battery capacity for the evening.

Another great feature of MyEnlighten is that it also allows us to schedule a 'top up' of the Enphase batteries overnight with off peak power from the grid if necessary to avoid using peak rate power in the morning.

-- Mark Derbyshire

We have a modern single story family with three adults and a swimming pool heated via a electric heat pump. We had an electricity bill of about $700. We started off with ten (10) panels. We added a further four (4) panels and then late last year added ten (10) more plus three (3) Enphase AC Batteries. Our electricity bill is now $40 - couldn't be more happy.

-- Peter Lee

Having an 8.5 kW ducted air con, we elected to go for a 10KW system, reasoning that at our latitude we could expect about 85% of that at peak production. That has proved to be accurate, and resulted in our quarterly bill dropping from $500-600, to a worst quarter in winter about $200.

Last July, our retailer increased the payment for feed-in from 6 to 12.5 cents per kWH. Since then we have had two quarters where the bill was in credit. At this rate we can expect the system to pay for itself in about 5 years, and then it will all be free.

-- Ronald Watts

I already do have a small Enphase battery connected to my eight (8) solar panels. Which means I can use my solar power during daylight before any solar power goes to the grid. I think this contributes to a greener planet.

-- Patricia Browne

Last quarter bill prior to installing PV panels $252.80. First full quarter bill with PV panel credit of $98.20. That's a $350.00 turnaround, and represents a 21% pa return on investment.

In the last six months there has been only one day where we have consumed more energy than we produced even though we have poor orientation (east/west) for the roof planes on which our panels sit.

-- Graham Watts

Even with rising energy costs, our power consumption is affordable. We have a sixteen (16) panel system and I purchase our [additional] power from Power Shop in pre-usage discounted amounts. Currently our electricity is costing us approximately $1 per day per person for a three person, all electric household.

-- Janet Mitchell

This time lapse view of the Smith's multi-arrayed microinverters in Enlighten shows them performing at vastly different outputs.

We have sixteen (16) panels and microinverters, with two arranged to capture morning sun and fourteen for the afternoon sun. The peak performance is around 3.2 kW, but in summer the power starts before 7am and continues until nearly 8 pm. On those days we produce from 20 to 25 kW hours per day and use about 1/3 of this.

I use the time of greatest output to heat our hot water. Instead of doing things "off peak" at night these items have been shifted to daytime when the solar power is available. So our peak use of electricity is close to zero and our off peak use has been reduced by about 25 percent.

-- Andrew Smith

The solar panels have been in use for 5+ years with bills ranging from summer $500+ and winter $700+. Installed first two (2) Enphase batteries in June 2017, reducing my winter bill from $700+ to $250. Had an additional battery installed in early December which returned a credit of $38 on my summer bill at the end of February 2018.

-- Jim Knagge

Our system of 95 panels has produced 43,313 kWh, and our other system at Stat of the Sea friary produced 48,079 kWh in 2017. This has cut our electricity bill by 55% and cut back our carbon offset by 63 tons.

I love this system. I can check each day on performance of the panels. As franciscans this is also reducing the carbon. Thanks.

-- Br. Garry Hill

I have had MyEnlighten for just over 6 months now and it has been a real eye opener. My pool filter I suspected was always the biggest power chewer, but activities like boiling the kettle and vacuuming really surprised me at how much power they also do use.

So thanks to MyEnlighten, I better schedule appliance usage activities to maximise my self-consumption from my rooftop solar. I can see that small changes in my electricity usage behaviour has made a difference. The daily supply charge of nearly $1.00 per day is now the "killer" part of my bills. The only solution to that is going Off Grid with home battery storage.

-- Joachim Staats

My power bill is significantly lower than prior to having the panels installed, and I feel I am doing my small bit to help reduce climate damage. The financial savings are just a perk.
-- Heidi Morrhighan

Installed in August 2017, the 5.1 kW Enphase microinverter solar system on our private residence in East Brighton has well and truly reduced our electricity cost by about 80%. Our pool pump runs for about 7 hours a day using about 12 -14 kWh per day. All now being supplied by our solar system.

It will be interesting to see how it performs during the Melbourne winter months.

-- Jeremy Wood

We have nineteen (19) panels and four (4) Enphase batteries. We used to pay $191.66 per month. Now we pay $145 per quarter. You do the maths. 😉

-- Olly Van Der Vloet

In this report we calculate the export to import ratio [1.25 : 1] where a ratio of 4-6 : 1 would give us a zero bill. We also calculate what we import during sunlight hours [SLH] 4.81 kW, and display Nil sunlight hours 6.74 kWh. Based on current battery performance, we would have to add 5 x 1.2 kW units to the existing installation.

One [1] kW of panels cost approximately $1,500 installed after you have assigned the value of the RET's. In our case you will see that we are producing on average about 4kWh/1kW system size which produces a much better ROI when compared with trying to obtain similar performance based on the cost of batteries.

-- Anthony Nixon

System owners share how they've slimmed down with Enphase