Posts By Ronald Brakels, Author & Fact-Checker At SolarQuotes

How Much Solar Can You Install In The Endeavour Energy Network Area?

March 1, 2021 2024-10-01T13:15:13 by 25 Comments
Installing solar panels in NSW's Endeavour Energy Network Area

If you want to find out how much solar power capacity Endeavour Energy will let you install, don’t go to their website. It’s hopeless. Their phone support, however, is excellent.

Update July 1st 2021: After a commenter kindly informed me Endeavour does not require export limiting on properties with 3 phase power I wrote to Origin to clarify this and they confirmed in (email) writing, “That is correct, there is no export limit on 3 phase systems.”  While different from information I was given 4 months ago over the phone, I am confident this is correct.

A few days ago I received an email from a reader saying it appeared NSW’s Endeavour Energy had altered the amount of solar they allow to be connected to the grid.  Because this was relevant to my interests, I immediately went to the Endeavour Energy site to see what size solar systems could be installed.  Unfortunately, I immediately became confused. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Solar Installation

Thousands Of Texans Charged $11+ Per Kilowatt-Hour During Blizzard

February 23, 2021 2024-10-02T12:48:13 by 46 Comments

Texas snowstorm electricity prices

Thousands of Texans caught in a deadly, polar vortex blizzard have been charged thousands of dollars for electricity over just a few days. They were exposed to wholesale electricity prices that hit their maximum price of over $11 Australian per kilowatt-hour. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Electricity Prices

Battery Test Centre 8th & 9th Reports: Many Home Batteries Still Unreliable

February 22, 2021 2021-02-22T13:13:32 by 27 Comments

Battery Test Centre reports

Ronald analyses the latest battery test results just as you like it. This twice-told tale shows the course of true battery love may not run smooth.

Do you enjoy reading about home batteries?  I know I do.  This is why I’m addicted to reports from the Canberra Battery Test Centre.  They’re like Shakespeare!  That is, they’re mostly tragedy but there’s also some comedy as well. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Battery Storage

Scrap Your Old Solar System & High Feed-in Tariff For A Bigger & Better Return

February 15, 2021 2021-03-01T12:36:01 by 62 Comments

Replacing or upgrading a solar power system

If you have a small, old system, replacing it with a bigger, more efficient modern system is worth serious consideration. Even if it means losing that premium feed-in-tariff you’ve enjoyed for all these years.

Do you have a faithful, old, 1.5 kilowatt solar system installed?

Has it sat on your roof churning photons into electrical energy for 10 years or more?

Has it earned you a heap of money because it gets an old, premium feed-in tariff far higher than anything available now? [Read more…]

Filed Under: Economics Of Solar

Yet Another Tesla Powerwall Price Hike: Aussies Now Pay $1,500 More Than In US.

February 9, 2021 2024-10-01T13:31:12 by 42 Comments

Tesla Powerwall price rise

If you’re an Australian hoping to buy a Tesla Powerwall battery system, I have bad news.  It’s so bad that before I reveal it, you may want to sit down and prepare to offer words of comfort to your wallet. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Battery Storage

Renewables Need More Long Distance Transmission. Low Interest Rates Can Make That Happen.

February 8, 2021 2021-02-08T10:46:43 by 19 Comments

Renewable energy and long distance electricity transmission

Long-distance transmission sends electrical energy from where it’s generated to where it’s used.  If we had more of it, electricity prices would be lower, and the integration of solar and wind farms would be easier.  Thanks to record low-interest rates, more of it is exactly what we’re going to get.   [Read more…]

Filed Under: Solar Policy

PM Commits To Zero Emissions By 2050 With Zero Practical Steps To Achieve It

February 2, 2021 2024-01-25T12:06:21 by 23 Comments
Prime Minister Morrison - Australia Zero Emissions

Yesterday at the National Press Club, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the following:

“Our goal is to reach net-zero emissions as soon as possible, and preferably by 2050.”

My response was, “Thank god for that.” Twenty-nine years to get our emissions down to zero is a lot more time than we should be spending, but it looked as though our PM had come a long way from the days he pranced around Parliament, lovingly cradling a lump of coal.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Solar Policy

SA’s Wholesale Electricity Prices Now Lowest In Nation Thanks To Renewables

February 1, 2021 2021-02-01T13:37:31 by 21 Comments
South Australia has the cheapest wholesale electricity.

South Australia’s gone from embarrassingly expensive to the cheapest wholesale electricity in just 10 years.

Over the past 12 months wholesale electricity prices have tumbled across Australia.  For the nation overall, they’re the lowest they’ve been for nine years.  But one state did particularly well and a large part of its success was because it now generates over 60% of its electricity from wind and solar. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Economics Of Solar

Evee: A Website For Renting Other People’s Teslas In Australia

January 25, 2021 2024-06-04T15:44:07 by 5 Comments

Renting a Tesla electric vehicle with Evee

Evee is a website that rents out Teslas but does not own any Tesla electric cars…

Recently I rented a Tesla Model 3 through an online service called Evee.  I had a really great time just driving around, sightseeing, and engaging in criminal activity. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Electric Vehicles

Tesla Model 3 Review: Great Car, Ridiculous Claimed Range

January 19, 2021 2024-10-02T12:45:55 by 103 Comments

Tesla Model 3 review

My boss, Finn, gave me a nice little Christmas present this year.  A Tesla Model 3 electric car…

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Electric Vehicles
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