Search Results for: victoria

The Refreshed Tesla Model 3 Is A Damn Fine Car – With One Major Elon Error

May 28, 2024 2024-05-29T03:37:57 by 35 Comments
A refreshed Tesla Model 3 next to a Challenger tank.

Tired of filling your tank?  Go electric!

Last weekend I drove to Naracoorte to check out some holes in the ground.  While this may not sound exciting, what made it special was driving there in a brand new “refreshed” Tesla Model 3.

In almost every way but one, the car was great.  Perhaps even amazing.  However, tragically, I’m unable to give it the coveted title of totes amazeballs.  This is due to one annoying penny-pinching design choice I will heartily complain about later.  I’ll hold off for now because there are far too many miserable bastards on the internet and I’d much rather go straight to telling you how cool it was using it to tool around South Australia. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Electric Vehicles

LG Battery Recall Saga: The Hot Mess Continues

May 28, 2024 2024-05-28T06:21:05 by 15 Comments

LG battery recall in Australia

Some Australian owners of recalled LG home batteries have been delivered another kick in the guts – but it’s better than their houses potentially burning down; or worse. [Read more…]

Filed Under: General Solar & Storage News

Electricity Prices Update: Who Saves And Who Gets Slugged

May 24, 2024 2024-06-06T10:14:04 by 6 Comments

Electricity offer determinations

Final decisions were published yesterday for regulated electricity offers in several Australian states. Find out what this means and how it might affect you. [Read more…]

Filed Under: General Solar & Storage News

Everything You Need To Know About Buying Batteries In Australia In 2024

May 22, 2024 2024-06-13T14:37:59 by 37 Comments

Adding a battery to your solar home can reduce your bills and keep your lights on if there’s a blackout.

But choosing one for your home isn’t as simple as popping down to the shops and getting some AAs.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Battery Storage

How To Beat Future Solar Export Tariffs

May 20, 2024 2024-05-25T18:28:10 by 89 Comments

Zero export dilemma

From July 1st, NSW, ACT, NT, and Victoria will start to slowly roll out two-way pricing, with others in the National Energy Market (NEM) set to join in next year. This new setup lets network companies charge electricity retailers for the energy that flows back to the grid during busy times. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Electricity Prices

Do You Need An Efficient Home If You Own A Massive Solar System?

May 16, 2024 2024-05-17T11:53:57 by 38 Comments

The average size of a residential solar PV system installed in Australia has grown significantly over the years, which raises an interesting question: Should owners of larger systems even worry about energy efficiency in their homes? [Read more…]

Filed Under: Energy Efficiency

Ausgrid’s Two-Way Pricing For Solar Exports Looms

May 2, 2024 2024-05-16T10:59:43 by 56 Comments

Two-way tariffs for solar exports

Many solar owners in New South Wales will soon be subjected to “two-way” tariffs. Find out what that means and how it will work. [Read more…]

Filed Under: General Solar & Storage News

Power Bill Relief Ahead – For Some

April 26, 2024 2024-06-06T10:58:21 by 14 Comments

Electricity prices in Australia

The latest AEMO quarterly report published on Tuesday indicates average wholesale electricity prices for the first quarter of this year dropped significantly in most NEM regions. But relief in power bills won’t match, and in some cases they could continue to rise. [Read more…]

Filed Under: General Solar & Storage News

A Solar Installer’s Guide to Beating Confusing Electricity Tariffs

March 20, 2024 2024-03-20T09:23:22 by 22 Comments

switchboard and retail meter

As a solar installer, I’ve had to deal with electricity retailers a lot. So much so, that I sometimes wonder what I did in a past life to deserve this. In this post I’ll share my frustrations but also offer 3 solutions to get the better of the retailers and their increasingly incomprehensible tariffs.
[Read more…]

Filed Under: Electricity Prices

Solar Horror Stories: How MC4 Plugs Become The Point Of Failure

March 6, 2024 2024-03-06T05:33:30 by 11 Comments

Some months ago, I penned an article about how critical the humble MC4 plug is to solar PV systems. Today, we’ll explore the failures that these plugs often present and how to avoid them.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Solar Installation
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