Search Results for: queensland

Why Builders Get Solar Wrong And How You Can Get It Right

Getting solar power right when building a house.

Stink pipes, clear sheets, aerials, low pitch, small planes, a new roof, redeploy old solar panels …and add more capacity. This one had all the complexities.

In this series, I’m pitching a case for better buildings that can make housing more comfortable and more affordable to live in. [Read more…]

Should You Install An Industrial Socket For Home EV Charging?

EV charging and electrical sockets

Standard Australian socket and plug for 32 amps 400 volts 3 phase power.

TL;DR: Hell, yes.

In Australia, the wall socket pictured above is your go-to option for a 3-phase electricity supply, while this one is for single-phase: [Read more…]

Is “Not-Made-In-China” A Safer Bet For Your Solar Battery?

Non-Chinese batteries

Is ‘Made in China’ a deal-breaker for you when it comes to solar batteries? [Read more…]

Can You Install A Smart Solar Meter On A Strata Townhouse? YES!

Solar smart meter for townhouses

Smart Meter Installation Woes in Sydney. 

Recently we wrote about an instance in Queensland where a solar meter changeover on a detached suburban home had gone sideways. As it happens, another example that caught my attention involved multiple meters in a strata-owned switchboard. [Read more…]

Solar’s Hidden Metering Cost – And Tips To Avoid It

old queensland meter board

Inaccessible, no hinge, ceramic fuses, disintegrating chipboard, duct tape! This is a hamburger with the lot.

Solar Electricity Meters – The Situation Is Unhinged [Read more…]

Sungrow Hybrid Inverter Review: A Deep Dive into the SH5.0RS

sungrow sh5.0rs inverter installed

This post is part of our reviews of hybrid solar inverters – which when paired with a battery – can be good Tesla Powerwall alternatives. Here, I’m taking a closer look at the Sungrow SH5.0RS. [Read more…]

Tesla Operated “Big Bessie” Battery Rocks Rockhampton

bessie the battery

Rockhampton residents will soon reap the benefits of grid-scale renewable storage soaking up excess solar production, with Powerlink flicking the switch on a 50MW/100MWh battery in Bouldercombe. [Read more…]

Flexible Exports Rules: A Bright Future With A Shade Of E-Waste

The recently enacted Flexible Exports rules for new solar power systems in South Australia set a global example for grids with lots of rooftop solar. However, there’s an unexpected fallout for rooftop solar owners. And although this is currently only a problem in SA, the rest of Australia needs to learn from our mistakes to prevent a mountain of e-waste as Flexible Exports likely become mandatory nationwide in the coming years.
[Read more…]

AEMO: NEM Not Yet Ready for 100% Renewables

queensland pylons

The AEMO is taking the next steps to ensure Australia’s National Energy Market (NEM) can survive the shift to solar power and wind. [Read more…]

Is Home WiFi The Achilles Heel Of South Australia’s Flexible Exports Program?

South Australia – where more than 1-in-3 homes have rooftop solar – is once again leading the charge in solar energy integration with the introduction of Flexible Exports for new solar connections, starting in earnest this month (July 2023).
[Read more…]

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