Golden by name, Golden by nature, Melbourne family reaps solar rewards

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The Golden family of Melbourne’s Clifton Hill wanted to live up to their good name and so decided to install solar panels on their rooftop to power their home. As owner-occupiers of their home, the Golden family were able to take advantage of Solar Victoria’s Solar Rebate Scheme. Before they knew it the guys at Solargain had installed 24 Q Cells Q.Peak Duo-G5 325W modules atop their inner-suburban rooftop.

For Geoff Golden going solar was not just about the financial savings, but about becoming energy independent and sustainably-minded. Although, Geoff himself is quick to admit that “it’s great to be able to see our bank balances a little higher each month with not having to pay excess electricity bills.”

The estimated first-year savings supplied by a system of the size the Golden family installed is $1,300, this means that the family could pay back their involvement in the Solar Rebate Scheme within just five years. No wonder the Golden family is enjoying themselves. “We’ve been able to enjoy that extra money by treating the family to evening meals out and doing more family activities,” said Geoff, “it’s great to be able to spend more time together.”

Of course, when it comes to getting as much money back from your solar system as possible living under Melbourne’s moody skies isn’t ideal, especially in the winter when the Golden’s rooftop was given its makeover. Melbourne is one of the few places in Australia where umbrellas can commiserate with each other in the morning and dance in a dry coastal breeze under a bright sun in the afternoon.

Being painfully aware of this, the Golden family raised their concerns to the local team at Solargain who recommended the Q.Peak Duo-G5 for its Q.Antum Duo all-weather technology which enables high performance on a small surface area to generate optimal yields in even the most climatically capricious of cities like Melbourne.

However, it must be said, for the Golden family the catalyst for going solar was first and foremost a desire to live sustainably so as to take the strain off the environment. Hence why the family jumped at the opportunity to act as a case study for Q Cells’ Q.Peak Duo-G5 due to its low-carbon credentials.

“People who are trying to be environmentally sustainable don’t always think terribly much about the manufacturing steps that go into producing their solar products, so it’s great to know that the panels on my roof are certified low-carbon,” said Geoff.

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