Over Estimating Electricity Price Inflation For Fun And Evil Profit

Over-estimates of electricity price rises

Beware Of Salespeople Making Ridiculous Electricity Price Increase Predictions

A rooftop solar power system is an excellent investment for any home that isn’t at the bottom of a well or otherwise suffering from major shade problems.  Earlier this year I wrote an article on payback times in Australian capitals but it’s already out of date as they pay themselves off even faster now.  [Read more…]

Breaking News: Alinta Door Knocker Breaks Law

alinta energy door knockers

Shock Horror! Australian Electricity Retailer Does Dodgy Stuff!

On Friday I was sitting at home staring at a computer screen, as is my habit on beautiful spring days, when there was a knock on my door.  I wasn’t expecting anyone so I called out “Cho-to ma-te!”1 so I could pretend not to speak English if it turned out to be the police.  When I opened the door I saw it was a salesperson from the energy retailer Alinta. [Read more…]

Amber Electric: Buy & Sell Your Electricity At Wholesale Prices? Not Quite…

amber electric review

Amber Electric review: low prices and moderate solar feed-in tariff, but could be the best retailer for battery owners.

As I’m sure you’re aware, in this country we pay through the nose for grid power.  Electricity bills are so high I’m surprised the police aren’t required to random drug test them.  [Read more…]

Is AGL’s ‘Solar Savers’ 20c Feed-In Tariff A Good Deal?

AGL 20c Feed In Tariff - Solar Savers

AGL’s 20 cent feed-in tariff could be  a good deal for efficient homes with over 5 kilowatts of inverter capacity.

If I were to ask:

“Would you like a 20 cent feed-in tariff for the electricity your solar system sends into the grid?”

Chances are at least some of you would reply:

“A whole 20 cents?  That’s more than what I’m getting now, so yeah, baby!  Yeah!”

[Read more…]

Victoria’s New Time Varying Solar Feed-In Tariff Is Worth Getting

Victoria Time Varying Solar Feed-In Tariff

As of 1 July 2018 there is a new, optional, feed-in-tariff in Victoria that changes through the day.

A new type of solar feed-in tariff is now available in Victoria.  It’s called a time varying tariff and the amount of money it pays for solar electricity depends on the time of day it’s sent into the grid.  It is worth less during off-peak periods, more during shoulder periods, and the most during peak periods. [Read more…]

New Solar Homes Robbed Of Choice In ACT: Demand Or Time-of-Use Tariffs Only

rock or hard place? Electricity tariffs in Canberra

If you live in ACT and install solar – you are forced to choose between 2 not very great electricity tariffs.

If you are getting a new house built or having solar power installed in the ACT I have some bad news.  You will lose the ability to freely choose between electricity plans. You will no longer be able to select a standard tariff; which is usually best for solar households.  Instead you will be forced on to either a time-of-use tariff or a demand tariff. [Read more…]

“Power Of Choice” Pushes Costs Onto Electricity Consumers

Power Of Choice - Electricity Meters
Last week I wrote about the “Power of Choice” reforms that put electricity retailers in charge of electricity meters.

Today I’m writing how Power of Choice reforms harm the consumer by stealing the most valuable thing you possess: your time on this Earth. [Read more…]

South Australia’s Electricity Has Always Been Expensive

South Australian electricity prices

In South Australia we pay a lot for electricity.

If you feel the need to respond to that statement by saying, “Well, whoop-de-doo!  We pay a lot for electricity in Newcastle,” I will understand.  All Australians pay too much for household electricity.  This is true whether you look at historical prices or at countries you’d expect us to be similar to such as the United States or Canada. [Read more…]

Sydney Now Has The Most Affordable Electricity. Adelaide The Most Expensive

Electricity prices in Australia

In May last year I investigated what the total cost of electricity was for a typical household in Australia’s states and territories.  I found that rather than South Australia having the most expensive electricity, as the Coalition claimed, once the effects of fixed charges and controlled loads for hot water were taken into account, it was the second cheapest state for household electricity.

[Read more…]

Want Hundreds Of Dollars Worth Of Cool Cash?  Buy An Energy Efficient Fridge

fridge

Ronald’s fridge yesterday.

Disaster has struck the Brakels household! And I’m not talking about a minor disaster like a son or daughter breaking a leg.

[Read more…]

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