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

Victorians Can Get $50 From The Victorian Energy Compare Website Because We Are A Nation Of Idiots

Victorian Energy Compare website $50 bribe

Victorians can get $50 from the Victorian Energy Compare website until the 30th of June 2020 because they’d rather waste money on bribes than allow real competition.

If you live in Victoria and have an electricity or gas account in your name, you can get $50 from the Victorian Government.  Why are they handing out $50 to every household that asks for it? [Read more…]

The Canberra Battery Test Centre’s 7th Report: 83% Faulty

Solar battery test winners

Of 18 batteries tested, 7 didn’t need repair or replacement and only 3 batteries passed the testing without issue: Sony Fortelion, Samsung AIO, and Pylontech. Sony was the best performer by my reckoning.

Good news!  The Canberra Battery Test Centre have released their 7th report.  I admit I’m a little behind in reporting this because it wasn’t released this month, or last month, or even the month before that.  It came out all the way back in September.  But it’s their fault I’m so late writing about it.  [Read more…]

SolarQuotes’ New Retail Electricity Plan Comparison Tool Can Save You Money — It Let Me Afford Pizza

Electricity plan comparison tool

Introducing Solarquotes New Retail Electricity Plan Comparison Tool:  It Will Pay For Pizza!

I’m paying way too much for electricity.  It’s driving me broke!  Financially I was doing okay until I told everyone I’d buy them pizza and it end up costing me $90.  How can pizza cost $90?  It’s dough, tomato sauce, ham, pineapple, and maybe some corn if you’re Japanese.  How can that be $90?  We only had four of them! [Read more…]

AEMC Report — Electricity Prices To Fall Thanks To Renewable Energy

Wind energy and solar power - AEMC

Electricity Prices To Fall Thanks To Wind And Solar Power — But Not In WA!

If you don’t live in Western Australia I have good news.  A report released on December the 9th by the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) says electricity prices will fall in all states except WA.

[Read more…]

Solar Power And Bushfires: Safety, Shutdowns And Cleaning Off Soot

Cleaning bushfire ash from solar panels

Lately, Australia has been having a bit of a problem with bushfires.  You may have noticed.  It’s been on the telly.  Also, there’s a good chance you’ve been spluttering on vast clouds of smoke blowing across the country.  Smoke and fine ash from the fires can travel thousands of kilometers before settling and most of us now have a fine layer of soot on our solar panels, while those nearer to fires may have a thick layer of ash. [Read more…]

AEMO Says They Will Support A Broken Market System That Puts Lives In Danger

AEMO 2020 Integrated System Plan

Australia’s Energy Markets Are Broken Because They Ignore Externalities

You would think the middle of a horrendous bushfire season — at a time when large areas of New South Wales were ablaze and air quality in Sydney was worse than Shanghai thanks to smoke hanging in the air like the ghost of gums before drifting out to sea — would be a bad time for the Australia Energy Market Operator (AEMO) to announce they are okay with people dying from fossil fuel use as long as someone is making money from it. [Read more…]

Australia Likely To Suffer 1,000 Or More Excess Deaths From Bushfire Smoke

Deaths from Australian bushfire smoke

Wagga Wagga yesterday. So smokey you can’t even make out a single Wagga.

According to UQ Economics Professor, John Quiggin, Australia is likely to suffer 1,000 or more excess deaths due to smoke pollution from the current disastrous bushfire season. [Read more…]

2019 In Review — A Great Year If You Ignore Climate Disasters (Just Like Our Prime Minister)

Australia 2019 - year in review

If you’re willing to overlook a couple of major climate disasters, Australia has been doing great this year.  We’re on fire! [Read more…]

House Of Reps Report Supports Nuclear – But Only If Everyone Is Into It

Sizewell A and B nuclear power stations

It’s not about safety – it’s about cost. Nuclear power is just too damn expensive for Australia.

Last Friday the House Of Representatives released a report on nuclear energy in Australia.  They said it’s a good idea — provided everyone is cool with it. [Read more…]

Dyness Powerbox Battery: A First Look At Its Specifications & Warranty

Dyness Powerbox Battery

The Dyness Powerbox home battery.

There’s a new battery contender in town – the Dyness Powerbox. And if you live in SA it’s eligible for South Australia’s hefty home battery subsidy. [Read more…]

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