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

New SA Inverter Rules Add $165 To Price Of SolarEdge Systems

October 12, 2020 2020-12-14T13:20:48 by 4 Comments
Yesterday in SA solar met 100% of demand for a short time. Hence the need for remote solar shutdown. SolarEdge inverters have this capability. Image: Rob Morris

Yesterday in SA, solar met 100% of demand for a short period. Hence the need for remote curtailment of new solar. SolarEdge inverters can meet this requirement. Image: Rob Morris

Update 14th December 2020:  Good news!  SolarEdge has informed me they no longer charge an additional $165 to cover the cost of meeting South Australia’s new inverter requirements.  SolarEdge instead now absorbs the cost, which is obviously good news for anyone thinking of getting a SolarEdge system in SA.

On Thursday at 3:58 pm I was invited to a SolarEdge webinar that started at 4:00 pm.  I was glad to get the invite, but the lack of notice meant I missed out on the first 5 minutes because I didn’t have time to set up my laptop/internet properly beforehand.  This was very appropriate because the webinar was about how SolarEdge had responded to new South Australian solar inverter requirements that were rushed in before the industry had time to properly prepare.  [Read more…]

Filed Under: Solar Inverters

Is Solar Still Worth It In Perth?

October 5, 2020 2024-01-25T08:29:46 by 14 Comments

Going solar in Perth - is it worth it?

Short Answer: Yes. While the payback of solar in Perth is now longer, you can still own your Perth home faster with solar power than without — despite WA’s miserable feed-in tariff.

Longer answer: Read on… [Read more…]

Filed Under: Economics Of Solar

Exclusive: Ronald Wakes Up With Elon Musk. Here’s What Happened Next

September 24, 2020 2020-09-24T09:35:46 by 34 Comments

Elon Musk Battery Day - Tesla

It’s 5:30 am and I’m sitting in SolarQuotes office waiting for Elon Musk’s big battery day announcement.  This is pretty early for me, so it had better be good.  I don’t normally come into the office until 5:45 am.  

I have no idea what Elon’s going to say except it’ll be about batteries.  [Read more…]

Filed Under: Battery Storage

Revealed: How SA’s Grid Will Accommodate The Relentless Uptake Of Rooftop Solar

September 23, 2020 2024-10-01T14:27:33 by 17 Comments
SAPN plan for solar exports

The famous, termite-proof South Australian Stobie Pole that holds SA’s distribution network off the ground.

The most interesting presentation at this year’s Smart Energy virtual conference was only 9 minutes long and by Future Networks engineer, Cathryn McDonald.  [Read more…]

Filed Under: Solar Innovations

2020 Smart Energy Virtual Conference: A Review

September 23, 2020 2024-01-25T16:46:15 by Leave a Comment

2020 Smart Energy Conference and Exhibition review

I just flew back from a virtual conference and, boy, are my virtual arms tired.  I attended the 2020 Smart Energy Conference and Exhibition by sitting at my desk — a huge improvement over hauling my arse and other body components to Melbourne as I normally do. [Read more…]

Filed Under: General Solar & Storage News

Does It Make Sense To Build Electric Cars In Australia?

September 21, 2020 2024-01-03T18:49:01 by 45 Comments

Building electric cars in Australia

A few weeks ago, I wrote about how ACE-EV plans to open a factory and produce tens of thousands of electric vehicles per year in Adelaide.

I’m hoping it will happen because I was impressed when I took their electric cargo van for a spin.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Electric Vehicles

ANU Claims Hydrogen At $2-3 A KG By 2030 — I Say Not Bloody Likely

September 7, 2020 2023-07-31T14:08:10 by 35 Comments
Hydrogen vs. emission offset natural gas

Hydrogen won’t be $2-3 per kilogram by 2030. It’ll be much cheaper!

Hydrogen is the car fuel of the future.  Just not our future. 

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Economics Of Solar

Feed-In Tariff For New Solar Slashed In Western Australia — Only 3 Cents Before 3 PM!

September 1, 2020 2024-10-01T14:47:19 by 35 Comments

Western Australia solar feed in tariff

Update July 30th 2022: The 3 cent DEBs feed-in tariff was reduced to 2.5 cents on July 1st 2022.  The 10 cent rate from 3 pm to 9 pm remains the same.

From yesterday (31 August 2020), new residential solar power systems installed in Western Australia will no longer receive the REBS or ‘Renewable Energy Buyback Scheme’ solar feed-in tariff of 7.135 cents per kilowatt-hour.  Instead, it will receive the DEBS or ‘Distributed Energy Buyback Scheme’ that will instead pay: [Read more…]

Filed Under: Electricity Prices

Solar Victoria Runs Misleading Ads They Wouldn’t Accept From Installers

August 31, 2020 2024-10-02T12:32:42 by 14 Comments

Solar Victoria hypocritical on advertising

If there is one thing I hate, it’s dodgy solar installers who mislead the public with deceptive advertising and fake deals.  It harms customers who are just looking for decent quality solar and it hurts honest installers by damaging the reputation of the entire industry.  It really gets my goat, and I am extremely protective of my goat. 

But when a state government engages in misleading ads it’s fine and I don’t mind at all.  [Read more…]

Filed Under: Solar Policy

Will ACE-EV Reboot The Australian Car Industry With A $40,000 Electric Van?

August 24, 2020 2020-08-24T14:21:16 by 28 Comments
Ace electric cargo van review

The ACE Cargo electric van will, fingers-crossed, be made in Adelaide and sell for about $40,000.

The future of road transport is electric.  This is clear from the falling cost of batteries and crystal clear if you’ve ever gotten behind the wheel of an electric car that takes off like a rocket.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Electric Vehicles
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