Pay-as-you-go solar will be available in Australia from May 2012. Sungevity Australia’s RoofJuice option will enable Australian homeowners to purchase solar-generated electricity with no upfront costs. Australian solar company Nickel Energy has formed a joint partnership with California-based Sungevity Inc to launch the concept in Australia.
Rather than purchasing a solar system outright, homeowners can have a solar system installed on their roof that is owned by Sungevity. “You buy the power that the system produces for less than what you currently pay your electricity provider,” Nickel Energy’s website said.
Acknowledging that purchasing a solar system outright can be expensive - $12,400 on average, according to Sungevity - the company says the business venture “is all part of Sungevity’s mission to accelerate solar into the mainstream”.
“Sungevity’s innovative iQuote technology, coupled with a groundbreaking and disruptive pay-as-you-go model, will enable a new class of Australian customer to go solar,” said Nick Lake, Managing Director, Nickel Energy. “The introduction of Sungevity RoofJuice will undoubtedly transform the Australian solar market, and we are excited about leading the way.”
Sungevity expanded into Europe in November 2011 through a partnership with Dutch solar company Zonline. Sungevity was simultaneously launched in five northeastern US states in July 2011.
Sungevity Australia’s RoofJuice option will be available at Sungevity.com.au from late May 2012. Details of the concept are available on Nickel Energy’s dedicated RoofJuice webpage.