Thread: Big storm and no power in SA

Originally Posted by bee utey

Ya should see my curtains 10 years after we got the big solar rebate, I took a colour picture but it turned out Grey&White.

i didnt think you supported nuclear energy?

Originally Posted by Eevo

i didnt think you supported nuclear energy?

I do, about 150 million km away from my home.

Originally Posted by bee utey

I do, about 150 million km away from my home.

but its non renewable

Originally Posted by Eevo

but its non renewable

I don't plan to hang around until it finally runs out.

Originally Posted by bee utey

I don't plan to hang around until it finally runs out.

same with oil

Originally Posted by Eevo

same with oil

Seven orders of magnitude difference there at least.

Originally Posted by PhilipA

Huh?
My understanding is that RETAILERS have to buy Small Scale RECs from the fitters of rooftop solar.
The retail price of electricity does not have a direct relationship with generation cost or South Australians would be paying $14000 per Mwh at times which would be something to behold.

So the RECs are priced into the retail margin for power, along with generation cost, distribution costs , so consumers pay.

I don't know of any economic system that can say Shazam the $1.3 billion just disappears.

Regards Philip A

Solar credits are only a minor factor compared with movements in the wholesale prices as generators bid into the spot market.
As for subsidies, the coal system was originally government owned, including mines, railways and generation, so highly subsidised, until parts were sold off.
Once solar and wind are installed their operation costs are low, much lower than coal, which has to be transported and burned.
That's why coal can't compete with wind and solar on the spot market. When the wind is blowing and the sun is shining their power is much cheaper than coal power. Batteries will extend that. One day most electricity sub-stations will have battery banks to smooth supply transitions.
Solar houses are actually subsidising the grid by putting power back into the grid for less than it costs the householders to buy power from the grid. For example, someone might only receive 6 cents per kilowatt hour to sell the electricity their solar has generated, but have to pay 10 cents to buy it from the grid, a subsidy of 4 cents by the householder to the grid companies.

Don’t have the requisite sado masochistic streak to address everything in this thread, but here’s a little something to think about......

Whilst the cost of wind (and solar) is on par with thermal generation, the lack of inertia in the SA system means AEMO now routinely directs thermal generators on, and is required to pay them the 90th percentile price of the previous 12 months.

So whilst the input price appears cheap, the cost to maintain stability lurks in the background and must be re-couped from somewhere. Much like it was once buried in state government budgets.

Enjoy!