Have a question?
Check out our most commonly asked questions on solar, or head over to our FAQs for more help.
What is solar power and how does it work?
With solar panels you can turn sunlight into electricity. This electricity can be used in your home,stored in abattery, or exported back to the grid. This export can then bepurchased by retailers like Mercury. This is known as“buy-back”, “distributed generation”, “import/export”, or “embedded generation”.
What do you need to know before you begin exporting?
You must have written approval from yourlines company, to be able to export power from your property onto their network. You can find your lines companycontact details here.When will my buy-back rates start?
The buy-back rates will be applied once your import/export meter is installed, and you begin exporting excess solar. It may take a few weeks for your meter to start communicating, however once it does you’ll be credited for any units you’ve exported back to the grid since your import/export meter has been installed.
What is an import/export meter?
This is a meter with two registers, one to record the import usage from the network and one to record the export usage to the network. These are also known as buy-back or 2-way meters.
Do I need to install a special type of meter for solar?
In order for us to record your usage and output, you’ll need to get an import/export meter installed. Once installed, the meter installation fee will be added to your Mercury account. For regular capacity meters, the import/export installation fees are $195 for urban, $265 for rural and $325 for remote. If you require a higher capacity meter, the fee is quotable and we’ll let you know of the fee before installation.
What should I do if there's a fault with my solar system?
If you suspect a fault with your solar system, follow the shutdown procedure instructions for your solar equipment, this will be noted next to your system.
After shutting down your system, get in touch with your installer for additional guidance. In an emergency, such as a potential fire risk, dial 111 for assistance.
How does exporting solar generation affect GST?
If you're not GST registered, GST will not be applied to your solar generation.
I’m GST registered, how will this apply to the solar generation that I export?
If you're GST registered and your connection with us as a solar power generator is part of your business activity for GST purposes, please let us know on this form and we’ll get this applied to your account.
Once your GST number is applied to your account, the GST credit for your solar generation will be included in the total GST amount on your Bill. The GST credit is combined with GST charges for your overall electricity.
In the below example the GST on other charges is $37.95, then a credit of $5.39 for the GST on generation is applied, reducing the GST to $32.55.
If you're not GST registered, GST will not be applied to your solar generation.
Why don’t I see generation some months?
If there is no meter read available, or if you didn't export any solar back to the grid in that billing period, the ‘Generation' line won't appear on your bill.