Where are they now? Sporting Legends

By Kelly

23 May 2019

Financial payback achieved in 3.5 years for Sporting Legends Club!

Gippsland Solar have been at the forefront of the solar for business industry. We installed the first 100kW system in our region back in 2013, and we are collecting many years of data across thousands of sites.

Sporting Legends Club installed a 100kW system in mid-2015, at a cost of $120,000 at the time. And after 3.5 years, they have already saved $120,000 on their electricity bills, and achieved a complete financial return.

The board at Sporting Legends were quite skeptical about the return they would see from this system (there weren’t many other systems of this size in the region). We deliberately took a conservative position, so that they would actually enjoy greater savings than we promised.

By collecting remote monitoring data over the life of the system, we were able to show them that they have indeed achieved these savings, and they are now looking to invest in another 100kW on the business extension.

Being able to prove these savings, and monitor our client’s system proactively, provides us with a great amount of satisfaction. Now we can show other businesses exactly what they will realise in savings, with a happy client like Sporting Legends to prove it.

If you are considering solar for your business or workplace, contact us on 1300 447 765 or via our website.

SEA join the team

By Kelly

23 May 2019

We are thrilled to announce the acquisition of industry leading solar company, Sustainable Electrical & Automation, and their incredible pipeline of large-scale projects.

Brendan Laidlaw has long been regarded as one of Australia’s foremost renewable energy experts. His team have delivered many MegaWatts of complex projects, for some of Australia’s biggest companies and organisations.

The acquisition of SEA, and Brendan’s full-time workforce of 16, takes our workforce up over 70 employees (plus two dozen subcontractors). This provides GipSol with the largest in-house workforce of any solar and storage provider in the country. We now have 38 full-time installers in-house, covering the entire length and breadth of Victoria.

With enhanced specialization in microgrids, Peer to Peer trading platforms, demand response and more, we are about to announce some phenomenal projects to the market. It’s a sizable investment on our behalf, but one that will position GipSol at the forefront of the industry, now and long into the future.

Directors Andrew & Kelly McCarthy, welcome to Brendan and his wife Fiona to the GipSol team. We can’t wait to join forces with you, and create a new benchmark for technical excellence and innovation.

Check out one of SEA’s recent projects, a spectacular and complex 201kW system at Docklands.

SEA team Gippsland Solar

Solar Victoria Rebate Update

By Kelly

15 May 2019

You may have seen that the Victorian Government has put a hold on the $2,225 solar rebate until July 1, 2019. Many customers have been bombarded with cheap and discounted offers, by solar companies trying to secure an instant sale.

The message we want to get out there is: DON’T PANIC! Sales companies thrive on chaos and anxiety about rebates ending, and you may likely end up making a rash decision you will regret.

Our team is taking pre-orders for installation in July (which is less than 7 weeks away), allowing you to claim the rebate when it returns. We are already booked up until the end of June with existing orders anyway, as most of the quality providers are, so there is no reason to worry.

With so many dazzling discounts and cheapened offers, it can be very confusing to know who to trust. Gippsland Solar have installed more than 5,000 systems in the local region, and employ over 70 full-time staff across the business.

Rebates and incentives may come and go, but one thing will never change. Buying from a local company, with years of history employing local staff, will provide you with the ultimate peace of mind in the long-term.

For an honest, balanced opinion on what would suit your energy needs, contact our team on 1300 447 765 or request a call back via our website.

Gippsland Solar installers

5 Years at Gippsland Solar for Grant Wyett

By Kelly

21 February 2019

We’ve just ticked over a significant milestone at Gippsland Solar, with our Operations Manager Grant Wyett the first employee to chalk up 5 years of service.

It’s hard to put Grant’s contribution to GipSol into words (but I’ll try anyway!). He started off as a sub-contracting electrician in 2013, when we only installed 1-2 systems per week.

Grant quickly developed a passion for the vision we had for GipSol, and the opportunities that existed within the industry. So when business started to take off, Grant had no hesitation in winding up his electrical business, and coming on board to steer our growth.

Not only has Grant gone above and beyond for us personally, but his entire family has carved an amazing legacy within the business. His wife Rebecca has worked with us as a labourer for a number of years, and has now moved into an admin role on the phones. And their son Kyle also came on board as an apprentice electrician, and has now moved to the city to oversee our expansion into the metro Melbourne market.

Grant and his family have been incredibly loyal and passionate members of the team, setting a standard that will continue to define us well into the future.

As a relatively young business, creating a legacy is very important to us. Our senior management team has remained intact since day 1, and our highly respected technical guru Shane Clayton is about to bring up his 5 year milestone shortly too.

Our founding team members hold a special place in the history of Gippsland Solar, and we appreciate everything they have done for us along the journey.

Grant Wyett Gippsland Solar

Battery Storage: On Grid or Off?

By Kelly

24 February 2018

Battery storage installations are booming across Gippsland, more than doubling in the last six months.

One of the questions we are often asked is ‘Should I stay on the grid or disconnect?’

There are pros and cons in both situations, but with service charges and electricity rates rising at incredible rates many customers are opting to stay on the grid for now but install a system that allows them to disconnect in the future.

But be warned: not all battery systems can be taken off the grid later. This impressive 10kWh storage system in Woodside features the Selectronic SP Pro, a unique system that can handle any future requirements.

You can install solar and battery storage now, add more batteries, a wind turbine or a generator later, and choose to disconnect from the grid at any time without changing any components.

Best of all, the Selectronic SP Pro has been manufactured right here in Mooroolbark, Victoria, for over 20 years and the team at Gippsland Solar have worked with Selectronic to constantly improve the features and innovations in their product.

With uncertainty around future energy costs, the SP Pro provides complete flexibility for now and for years to come.

For more information on the Selectronic SP Pro please follow this link, or contact one of our knowledgeable staff.

Selectronic-SP-Pro - Solar Hybrid with Off-Grid Backup

New face at Gippsland Heating & Cooling

By Kelly

New face at Gippsland Heating & Cooling

22 February 2018

Grant Riordan is taking the reins at Gippsland Heating & Cooling!

We have an exciting new announcement for Gippsland HC, with long-time colleague and friend Grant Riordan coming on board at the start of the year.

Grant moves into the Business Development role at Gippsland HC and Gippsland Skylights, to steer the rapid growth of these booming businesses. He will be managing our installation and sales team, and also looking after our key builder and architect accounts.

As a Sales Rep for Middy’s Electrical for 12 years, and looking after our Gippsland Solar electrical account for a number of years, Grant has always gone above and beyond to give his clients an exceptional experience. His product knowledge, and more importantly, his burning passion for customer service has shone through in every dealing we’ve had with him.

Your heating and cooling system can account for up to 40% of your energy costs, so it’s worth considering how old your system is and whether an upgrade to a more efficient system may not only make your home more comfortable, but also save you money in the long run.

If you’re looking for a split system, ducted air con, or ducted gas heater, give Grant a call on 1300 17 17 60, or go to www.gippslandhc.com.au.

Gippsland solar - Grant from Gippsland heating and cooling

Solar for Camberwell Grammar

By Kelly

Australia's largest school solar system

22 February 2018

We are incredibly proud to announce that Gippsland Solar is currently installing a 862kW (2,650 panel) solar power system on the roof of Camberwell Grammar School in Canterbury. This is largest solar project on any school in the country!

The tendering process for this project was intense and we were thrilled just to make the final cut, let alone be awarded the tender. However, the level of detail we have put into this project, including 3D drone modelling, and immensely detailed electrical and structural engineering secured our success, and will set the bar for future commercial solar projects.

The Camberwell Grammar install is the fourth large-scale private school installation we have completed in the past two years, with others including Gippsland Grammar, Newhaven College, and a handful of public schools. Our ability to work within the parameters of school holidays is key to our success. In addition, we are introducing several educational components to the Camberwell Grammar project, including 2 “off-grid classrooms.”

The solar system on Camberwell Grammar will deliver a whopping 1GWh (1 million kWh’s) of clean energy per year.

Our team of 14 commercial installers are staying in Melbourne to install this project and we are thrilled to be able to offer these local guys such an incredible experience, through professionalism and sheer hard work they have represented Gippsland Solar so well on this monumental project.

A business is only as good as its staff, and we are fortunate to have the very best on our side.

Click here for a case study on the Camberwell Grammar School installation

Gippsland Solar testimonial - camberwell school solar installation

How battery storage can help the grid

By Kelly

How battery storage can help the grid

Battery storage is advancing fast, enabling more solar-powered households to store their excess energy for use in the evening. This not only helps to control their energy costs by avoiding peak rates, but also ensures that they will still have power in the case of a blackout.

Earlier this month Tesla and the South Australian Government announced a plan to install solar panels and batteries on more than 50,000 homes to build the world’s largest virtual power plant. Utilising solar and battery storage systems on Housing Trust properties will generate and store much-needed energy which can be drawn into the grid in periods of high demand.

Gippsland Solar have been speaking to the State Government about rolling out a similar program in the Latrobe Valley using similar technology, empowering local households to store their solar electricity, and contribute to the grid when demand is high.

A Reposit smart controller lowers your energy costs by understanding how and when you use electricity – helping you to use energy the way you want to and selling your stored electricity back to the grid for a premium price.

How it works:

  • A small control box connects to your home’s solar panels and battery
  • The box monitors and predicts your energy use
  • The software also gathers local weather predictions and monitors the electricity market
  • When power prices peak, the system automatically sells excess energy stored in your battery back to the grid, earning credits and lowering your household bill.

Gippsland Solar can help you determine whether a Reposit system is right for you, please contact us via our website for more information.

The next step for your solar system

By Kelly

The next step for your solar system

18 December 2017

Amid growing concern over electricity costs, we are finding more and more of our customers are going to great lengths to regain control over how they use their energy and harness the true potential their solar systems.

The Solar Analytics device is a metering tool fitted into your switchboard that takes a Solar PV owner from being a passive owner with basic generation monitoring, to a fully engaged and conscious energy guru. Not only will your generation figures be clearly outlined in an easy to read format on your laptop or smart device, customers will have access to consumption data, performance reports, energy calculators and much more!

According to recent studies, up to 51.8% of solar panels are not performing at any time! Using local weather data, site specific installation details and several clever little algorithms, faults, failures and under-performance are detected and diagnosed almost instantly meaning that you can have peace of mind knowing that your system is doing exactly what it was designed to do and continue to save you money!

Clean Energy Council Approved Retailer

By Kelly

Clean Energy Council Approved Retailer

11 December 2017

We are excited to announce that Gippsland Solar has been certified by the Clean Energy Council as an Approved Solar Retailer.

This means that our systems and processes have been thoroughly audited by the industry’s peak body, and found to demonstrate best practice within the solar industry. This gives peace of mind to our existing and prospective clients that they can place their trust in Gippsland Solar.

The CEC Approved Solar Retailer program is not something you can simply buy your way into. Almost half of applications have been rejected by the CEC, and there is currently less than 50 Approved Retailers across the country (including only one other based in eastern Victoria).

Gippsland Solar have committed to having our systems and processes audited regularly and thoroughly, ensuring that we maintain the highest standards. We have always believed that our product and service represents the gold standard in the solar industry, so it is nice to have that backed up by the industry regulator.

About Us

Gippsland Solar is now a wholly owned subsidiary of RACV. Together, as RACV Solar, we will further enhance our reputation ​as an  ​established and ​trusted provider ​of solar power and battery solutions.

Latrobe Valley

8 Stratton Drive, Traralgon East Victoria 3844

South Gippsland

66 Ridgway, Mirboo North Victoria 3871

South East Melbourne

6/17 Keppel Drive, Hallam 3803

Melbourne CBD

126 Walnut Street, Cremorne 3121

East Gippsland

35 Payne Street, Bairnsdale 3875

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