Does the rapid pace of battery technology mean game over for gas will be sooner than expected?

Governments’ flailing support for fossil fuels was handed another card marked “are you nuts?” last week, with the Rocky Mountain Institute releasing a report saying renewables plus batteries are already cheaper than new gas plants, and will be cheaper than existing gas plants in the mid-2020s. [Read more…]

If you add $2,200 to the existing $6,000 SA battery subsidy, South Australians can get an $8,200 discount on the TeslaPowerwall 2. But as always, read the small print.

On Thursday Tesla announced it will lower the price of its Powerwall 2 battery storage system by $2,200 for South Australian residents.  This will make the Powerwall 2’s minimum installed cost around $7,100.  After adjusting for the SA battery subsidy it’s now only around $1,000 more than it was at the start of 2018.  With luck we won’t have to wait too much longer for it to be back down to where it was 20 months ago. [Read more…]

ACT has a powerful battery rebate, but only 3 battery sales companies are allowed to be part of it.

Do you live in the ACT and want the highest solar battery rebate in Australia?  Well, you can’t have it! The only way you can get that is to move your ACT arse to SA.  If you come to Adelaide be sure to bring some kangaroos with you because, unlike Canberra, we never see them hopping through the suburbs here. [Read more…]

Solar panels only or solar power + battery – how do the numbers really stack up? I clearly explain all the maths so you can see the big difference for yourself. [Read more…]

Well, that makes a nice change…

This morning I woke up, checked the horse was still alive, checked the children were still alive,¹ and then checked my email.  To my surprise there was one from Finn telling me the price of the Tesla Powerwall 2 had dropped. [Read more…]

Does the SA Energy Minister understand battery payback?

Last month my boss, Finn, received a letter inviting him to a “Home Battery Forum” hosted by South Australia’s Minister for Energy and Mining, Daniel Cornelius van Holst Pellekaan, at the Marion RSL.  As Finn couldn’t make it and I was curious what the Dutchest of all Australian Energy Ministers had to say, I attended. [Read more…]

Mainstream media gets it wrong on batteries. In other shock news Pope declares he’s a Catholic.

If you told me two years ago you spent $46,000 on a solar and battery system and it saved you $4,000 a year, my reaction would be, “I’m sorry.  I’m so, so sorry.” [Read more…]

The Canberra Battery Test Centre has released their latest six monthly report.  It took them 9 months to get it out, but I’m glad they took their time, as it’s a beauty. [Read more…]

Out of my twenty-four 2V, 1200AH batteries, one has developed a fault and is dragging on the whole system. It would be a simple warranty claim except that I have to get the battery tested, and where I live nobody has the equipment needed.

As a result of my battery discussions with my installer, I was very interested to learn that a solar battery performance standard is under development; so last Thursday (June 20), I joined a webinar hosted by the Smart Energy Council briefing the industry on its progress. [Read more…]

I nearly choked on my kale smoothie reading this article in the latest Renew magazine…

The Alternative Technology Association (ATA to its friends) is a wonderful organisation. They started as the Alternative Technology Cooperative in 1980 and ever since they have been urging Australians to think differently and more sustainably about how they use and generate energy. [Read more…]