Thread: Home solar power questions

So the son's new 6.5 kW of solar panels have been turned on two weeks before they move back into their renovated home, meaning there is no current draw and all the power is going back into the grid, earning 20 cents a kW hour.
So far it's earning them about $5 a day. So as long as they use less than $5 a day in electricity they will be in credit.
That experience might help those considering solar.

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

earning 20 cents a kW hour.

That's the bit that ****s me. The energy provider is required to subsidise these installs to "encourage" people to install solar, and now they are constantly in the red.

I don't have an issue with the government mandating green power subsidies like that (and make no mistake, it's a subsidy), but when they do it and then complain about the power companies no longer being profitable it kinda stinks.

Pay people the going rate for their FIT and remove the "solar rebate" and see how many will "do the right thing".

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

So the son's new 6.5 kW of solar panels have been turned on two weeks before they move back into their renovated home, meaning there is no current draw and all the power is going back into the grid, earning 20 cents a kW hour.
So far it's earning them about $5 a day. So as long as they use less than $5 a day in electricity they will be in credit.
That experience might help those considering solar.

Mick is that with Origin Solar?

Yes, but I believe AGL is also offering 20 cents.
These rebate numbers are a commercial decision by the companies, not a government requirement. I understand AGL decided to raise it's rebates to win customers and Origin had to match it to compete.
As homeowners increase their solar to cut power costs, and wire their houses to run first on their solar and only export the surplus to the grid, energy customers have to offer a worthwhile rebate or lose their customers. It's the free market at work.

I changed to the 20c FIT but lost most of the 25% reduction on their standard usage rates being only 3%, but overall I calculated that my overall power cost would be less due to the extent of surplus from my 8kW system, even though a maximum of 5kW feed-in. Last I looked Origin had reduced the 20c to 18c for new "plans".

I have no hesitation in looking elsewhere for a lower total cost of power, mostly because prior to investigating the viability of installing solar Origin had kept quiet that they were charging me 33% more for power that I could have been paying because I didn't know to ring them to tell them that I wanted the 25% discount that has no strings attached, which I regard as very disgraceful.

There is a thing called 'demand response' which helps people to cut power bills, but access to it needs to be widened so it is not a monopoly of the energy companies.

Households cut power bills with 'demand response', but big energy retailers want to keep grip on market - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

There is a thing called 'demand response' which helps people to cut power bills, but access to it needs to be widened so it is not a monopoly of the energy companies.

Households cut power bills with 'demand response', but big energy retailers want to keep grip on market - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Handy if you live in a world of mobile phone service and text messaging......

Well the 5.2kW solar was installed last week.
Making power and feeding into the grid.
Apparently won't get any credit until inspections and paperwork finalised. About 3 weeks.
I have given SPAusnet 50kWh so far.
I wonder if they will backdate?
Terry