Search Results for: canberra

Should you scrap your 1.5kW solar and replace it with a bigger system?

solar rag and bone man

Should you bite the bullet and scrap your 1.5kW solar system so you can fit a bigger system on your roof?

Five to eight years ago, just as the Australian solar industry was getting underway, many people locked in high feed in tariffs for their new, cutting-edge solar power systems.  For example, many people in Victoria with systems installed before 2012 are now getting 71.3 cents per kilowatt-hour of solar electricity exported into the grid.  And they will continue to receive this for almost 7 more years. [Read more…]

MoU Seeks To Accelerate Electric Vehicle Adoption In Australia

Electric vehicle uptake in Australia

Image: Blomst

A meeting in Adelaide on Friday saw the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by seven Australian states, territories and cities with a goal of accelerating the nation’s transition to electric vehicles. [Read more…]

Want $0 Electricity Bills? On-Grid Solar Beats Batteries.

zero dollar bills?

Want Free Future Electricity Without Blowing The Bank?  Get On-Grid Solar Without Batteries.

When it comes to buying rooftop solar and batteries, people have a wide range of motivations.  Some want to save money, most are environmentally concerned, there are tech-heads interested in the technology, while others just want to be trendy.  Then there are confused people who ordered a battery thinking they were buying artillery or possibly a chicken.

But one motivation that pervades our society is love.  Love for free stuff.  In this case, free electricity.  Most people I know would love to have $0 electricity bills or better yet, be paid for providing clean solar electricity to the grid.

If $0 bills are what you want, it’s okay to admit it.  You’re among friends here. [Read more…]

Why Solar Feed-In Tariffs Are Likely To Fall Within 3 Years

Crystal ball

Ronald’s crystal ball says: “The future may bring lower feed in tariffs if wholesale electricity prices tumble.”

Increasing renewables will reduce wholesale electricity prices. Unfortunately that means feed in tariffs will probably fall too.

Solar feed-in tariffs – the payment households receive for surplus solar electricity they send into the grid – are likely to fall within the next three years along with wholesale electricity prices.

The bad news: a fall in both feed-in tariffs and grid electricity prices will reduce the returns from rooftop solar. [Read more…]

A Fair Solar Feed-In Tariff For Australia Is Around 22 Cents

 

Solar Feed-In Tariffs Should Be Higher Than They Are — But Not As High As Some Believe

In my not at all humble opinion, Australian solar feed-in tariffs are too damn low!  People aren’t receiving a fair deal for the clean solar energy they export to the grid.  This is bad for our nation and the world because with a fairer price we would see more rooftop solar installed which would reduce the damage to our health and our environment from burning fossil fuels.

But before I am voted leader of the revolution for higher feed-in tariffs and march my armies on Canberra — or maybe somewhere that’s actually nice to go — I should point out that, unlike some people, I don’t think solar feed-in tariffs should equal the retail cost of electricity.  While feed-in tariffs  should be higher than they are now, a “fair” price is likely to still be less than what most of us are are normally charged for grid electricity.

As a result, this article will probably end up a successful attempt at making the maximum number of people possible disagree with me. [Read more…]

Hansol Technics AIO Battery System: Don’t Call It A Samsung

Samsung has decided to let their partner, Hansol Technics, take over their residential battery storage systems. However, the rebranding probably wasn’t done by someone cosplaying as Bob Ross.

There are now over 200 Samsung AIO battery systems installed in Australia, providing battery power to households both on-grid and off.  Their manufacturer, Samsung, is a giant, South Korean based, multinational conglomerate and if you’d like snag yourself a brand new AIO battery system from them, that’s terribly unfortunate, because you can’t have one.

[Read more…]

Energy Storage Echo Chamber Has Greens And Coalition Working To Increase Emissions

Greens MP and Liberal MP calling for storage subsidies

The Greens and the Libs agree on one thing at least: that storage should be subsidised. But should it?

The mainstream media has been full of news about energy storage over the last few months. [Read more…]

Door-To-Door Solar Sales: Know Your Rights

Door to door solar salesman

Door to door solar salespeople are common in Australia. Here’s what you need to know if you are approached.

If you own an unshaded roof in Australia, filling your roof with solar is probably the best investment you can make. That sounds like a smarmy sales pitch, but the numbers are there for everyone to see.

Yet over 75% of Australian roofs still don’t have panels.

So how can the solar industry get the message out to non-solar homeowners that they really need to at least run the numbers on getting panels installed?

[Read more…]

Kerfuffle Over Potential Liddell Power Station Sale And Life-Support

Liddell Power Station - Coal Fired Clunker

Ageing Liddell Power Station’s ears are burning as well as its coal

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s attempts to keep an old coal fired power station in New South Wales operating past its use-by date has caused quite a stir.

[Read more…]

Will A Solar Hot Water Timer Save Or Lose You Money?

hot water timer

If you have solar, is adding a simple, cheap timer to your electric hot water system worthwhile?

Lately my life has been a lollapalloza of solar electric hot water heating.  I’ve looked at more ways of heating water using solar electricity than you can poke a stick at.  Or at least I have if your poking arm is weak and flabby and easily fatigued. [Read more…]

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