Gooburrum, just north of Bundaberg. A family home where nobody’s in during the day, and a power bill that didn’t care. Installed over two days in August 2026.
Here’s what we fitted, why we sized it the way we did, and what it’s saving them. Every number below is off this job, and the system was sized the way we size everything.
What we installed in Gooburrum
A 13.3 kW solar array made up of 28 Jinko 475 W panels. A GoodWe 10 kW ESA hybrid inverter, the all-in-one type that runs the panels and the battery from a single unit. 32 kWh of battery storage. Full home backup, with every protective device in the switchboard upgraded at the same time.
The inverter choice matters. An all-in-one hybrid means one box on the wall, one warranty, and the battery and panels talking to each other properly instead of through two separate systems.
The switchboard work is the part most quotes leave out. Backup only works if the board is set up for it, so the old breakers and safety switches went too.
BEFORE · FRIDAY MORNING
AFTER · SATURDAY
Rails on Friday morning, 28 panels in by Saturday. Shot from the drone on site, not a stock photo.
Why 32 kWh of battery for this house?
Because nobody’s home when the sun is up. Most of the week the family is out during the day, which is exactly when the panels produce. Without storage that power goes to the grid for a few cents. The battery holds it for the evening, when the house actually uses it.
That’s the sizing logic on every quote we do. The panels cover the day and refill the battery. The battery covers the night. This house has a big night, so it got a big battery.
Full home backup, and what that means in a blackout
When the grid drops, the house keeps running off the battery. The family chooses what stays on: fridge, lights, pool pump, whatever they want. Backup was designed in from the start, which is why every protective device in the switchboard was upgraded as part of the job.
What backup actually needs:
A hybrid inverter that can island the house from the grid. The GoodWe ESA does.
A switchboard with modern protection on every circuit. Old breakers and safety switches aren’t rated for it.
A plan for which circuits matter. We set it up so they pick and choose.
Timers on the hot water, pool pump and bore pump
The last step was moving the heavy loads into daylight. Hot water system, pool pump and bore pump now run on timers set for peak sun hours. That’s power the panels were making anyway, used on the spot instead of exported. It’s the cheapest part of the job and it does a lot of the work.
Self consumption is the whole game with solar. Every kilowatt-hour you use yourself is worth the full retail rate. Every one you export is worth a fraction of that. Timers, a battery, and a bit of thought about when things run: that’s how this system gets close to everything out of the roof.
What it’s saving them
Doug’s estimate for this house is around $450 a month off the power bill, worked out from their previous bills and the system’s expected production. That’s this house, with these loads and this roof. Your number depends on how much you use, when you’re home, and what your roof can hold.
That’s the same method as our calculator:
Total kWh on the bill, divided by the billing days. That’s your daily usage.
The battery covers the night. The panels cover the day and refill the battery.
Storing power loses a little of it, so the panels are sized up to compensate.
A Bundaberg roof makes about 20% less power in mid-winter than the yearly average. The calculator checks winter and tells you straight if the system falls short.
Run your own numbers
Two figures off your power bill. Sixty seconds. No name, no email, no phone number.
Real jobs, not brochures
This is a system we designed, installed and commissioned ourselves. We’re a local electrical contractor, not a solar sales office, and solar and battery is quoted fixed like everything else we do. SAA accredited (formerly CEC), Electrical Contractor Licence 1506444, based in Bundaberg.
Fixed quote before we start. What we say is what you pay.
The crew who did the job. Same people on every Fennway install, no subcontracted sales team.
Questions people ask about a system like this
Is 13.3 kW too big for a house?
Not when there’s a battery to fill and daytime loads to shift. On a house with a small evening usage and no battery, it would be. Sizing starts from your bill, not from how many panels fit on the roof.
Does the battery rebate apply to a 32 kWh battery?
Yes, at a stepped rate. The federal discount pays the full rate on the first 14 kWh, 60% between 14 and 28 kWh, and 15% from 28 to 50 kWh. The rebate post explains it. Your installer confirms the figure on the quote.
Can I add backup to solar I already have?
Often, yes. It depends on the inverter you have and the state of the switchboard. Some inverters can’t island the house and need replacing. We’ll tell you straight on the phone before anyone quotes.
Do you service Gooburrum?
Yes. Gooburrum, Moore Park Beach, Burnett Heads, Bargara, and right across Bundaberg and the Wide Bay. Call 0400 409 352 and a local sparky answers.
Savings figure is Doug’s estimate for this specific installation, based on the customer’s bills and expected system production. Results vary with usage, roof and weather. Rebate figures per the federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program as at September 2026. Fennway Electrical Pty Ltd, Electrical Contractor Licence 1506444.
