All things Solar (merged threads)

[LG17]

Yeah I tend to think if you signed up you'd get the short end of the stick!

[xisled]

Interestin article form you south Australian residents

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/s...7fe3e1?login=1

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by xisled

Interestin article form you south Australian residents

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/s...7fe3e1?login=1

Only interesting if you subscribe to read it !

[FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0]

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/s...76e1a0b37fe3e1

Sorry, link worked from google. Just wait a minute and I'll find a link that works....

ok, try this one

https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&r...axgrOmbj86kmlQ

[xisled]

Originally Posted by psychobimbo

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/s...76e1a0b37fe3e1

Sorry, link worked from google. Just wait a minute and I'll find a link that works....

ok, try this one

https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&r...axgrOmbj86kmlQ

Thanks for that. I don't subscribe so no idea what that would pop up.

[prydey]

So Adelaide solar customers are paying the highest rates in the country and now we are in for even more pain. Cool.

[Mercury Bullet]

Did I read that link right?

After 9/2013 you get no feed-in tariff.
What's the point in going solar then?

I fear Western Power is going to be privatised soon. Selling off state owned power companies has been a disaster for Australians from what I can see.
Lots of hard currency for Chinese based companies though.

[Mowdit]

From the article
"Currently at 6.8 cents/kWh, when abolishing the R-FIT on Wednesday, ESCOSA said it hoped it would still be paid by retail companies when they signed up customers because they needed to compete against other companies"

Yeah right !
Screw the customer for every dollar possible rings a bell

How is it that in Nov/Dec a lot of those getting the guaranteed amounts of 43c, 60c or more are due to have those contracts end, thus putting more $$s into the power companies pockets and they still want to strip the FIT further.

Bring on better batteries I say !

[wodahs]

yep I am ready now for batteries and all I keep seeing/hearing is better ways for them to screw us
like the W.A gov over the last few years have keep putting large increases on the power unit price now to sell to a privatise group and will be able to show profits are viable due to these recent increases so selling price will be good , and you know the private co price isn't going to be any better or how soon they will also want to improve their profits

[poppa smurf]

yeah! seen this last week, hoping it was false reporting but, look, it's really beyond a feasible joke......"did you hear the one about the chinaman who walked into parliament and held all south aussie residents to ransom"........

wouldn't believe it in a fit.....

[wodahs]

they have the U.S. in their pocket to a large tune and now they have their sights set on us

suppose next year it will be mandatory to learn mandarin in the school curriculum

[poppa smurf]

yeah! probably.....they have the shiny shoe brigade in national security a bit worried apparently, purchasing so many so called "essential services".

we are already being "warned" by the Chinese according to a piece of news I heard the other day, don't know what that is about, probably "free trade".

[xisled]

I can't confirm if the reports are correct as my job was offshored to the Philippines a few weeks ago.

If the reports due I can't see many retailers continue to offer the buy back. They may offer a cent or 2.

[Mercury Bullet]

Originally Posted by xisled

I can't confirm if the reports are correct as my job was offshored to the Philippines a few weeks ago.

If the reports due I can't see many retailers continue to offer the buy back. They may offer a cent or 2.

Oh dear, more people on the dole...

Sorry to hear of your job loss mate.

But hey lets bring in more 400/457 visas, there isn't enough workers in Australia....

We desperately need a turkey cull in this country, we vote out one lot of turkeys only to be replaced by more.
None of these pr!cks are electable.

[Mercury Bullet]

Originally Posted by wodahs

they have the U.S. in their pocket to a large tune and now they have their sights set on us

suppose next year it will be mandatory to learn mandarin in the school curriculum

What really gets up my goat is we are being forced by the feds to sell off either our power company or our port just so we can receive our fair portion of GST revenue.
WA is already behind because we refuse to accept pokie machines or have toll roads.

Everyone appears to think that little Johnny was a great PM. I see him as one of the very worst...he sold off the family farm to make himself look good.
Now we are suffering.

[olfella]

Ahh the old yellow pages test. I still cannot understand why sell off a profitable business just for short term gain (and maybe a few brown paper bags) You should see our airport precinct now. A hive of building that does not pay council rates yet takes from the commercial sector.

[Mowdit]

Originally Posted by olfella

Ahh the old yellow pages test. I still cannot understand why sell off a profitable business just for short term gain (and maybe a few brown paper bags) You should see our airport precinct now. A hive of building that does not pay council rates yet takes from the commercial sector.

So "they (turkeys) have an excuse to justify their exorbitant wages/super fund/perks/flights/junkets/stuff (and 24ct gold toilet paper) to the masses.
All whilst putting their name up in lights to say "Look what I did", so they can get an overpaid job in the private sector after politics

Sorry all, Like most of you, I too am tired of being on the receiving end of the Pineapple

I have, gone solar, bought energy efficient appliances, LED lights, Installed water tanks and flow limiting water saving devices and don't have A/C
All for what ????

Am going to have to go buy an old school fuel gusling `non emission V8
(and "test" the tyre's ability to grip, REGULARLY )

[my_gxl]

I get the 52c FIT in QLD.
I used to make at least $100 per bill.
They've changed everything as of part way through my last billing period.

I got a usage charge of $0.61, not much at all I am well aware.

Big change from being up $100.

I invested $10k onto my roof in solar hot water and power. I haven't made my money back, and looks like now never will.

Beats me how any citizen is meant to be able to afford to live in the long term.

[39ClevoUte]

Two points:
1) Communities used to build new technologies to benefit everyone eg power stations and grids.
2)No one understands bartering these days. Simple explanation....If you take goods or services off someone and give them an IOU (ie $AU) then that IOU has to come back to you one way or the other at some point in time. So if you have nothing to offer other than real estate or farms or power stations or train lines or harbours than that is what you have to give them....your IOU has to come back. Enjoy your $10 tent, or your Samsung washing machine. Or your Solar Cells.

[prydey]

well, after reading that article about the FIT ending for those who installed solar between 2011 and 2013, which i did, i thought i'd look up my records to see if i had anything confirming the length of time the FIT would run for. I didn't find any documentation in my records but what i did find is that my system has been on since july 2012. can't believe its been on over 4 years.

so, i dug out all my AGL reciepts and added up how much i'd paid AGL since going solar. i then looked at the year previous to get an idea of how much i was paying before. long story short, i'm finally back in front. i paid for my system up front so to discover that we have essentially made that money back is very pleasing.

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by 37Clevo

Two points:
1) Communities used to build new technologies to benefit everyone eg power stations and grids.
2)No one understands bartering these days. Simple explanation....If you take goods or services off someone and give them an IOU (ie $AU) then that IOU has to come back to you one way or the other at some point in time. So if you have nothing to offer other than real estate or farms or power stations or train lines or harbours than that is what you have to give them....your IOU has to come back. Enjoy your $10 tent, or your Samsung washing machine. Or your Solar Cells.

trouble is we have and have given far more than an "IOU" we own and have traded untold billions of dollars in oil, gas, coal, steel as well as food and other commodities, we have received jack s.h.i.t. in return.......dont forget Australia and other nations built china from nothing and showed them how to trade to make untold wealth as they have done, China has been trading far longer than Australia has been a nation, they became smarter we didn't.

Australia should be the richest country on earth, we have absolutely everything and more that is needed for astronomical wealth.......so why aren't we.

simple answer is that our trading "partners" are smarter and tougher negotiators than our mob then we give them our land and our "essential services" to boot.

Australia has a lot to offer if we use it right, without going too much into political nonsense we have only ourselves to blame, we educate these people, we raise them in cottonwool far away from reality, we give them a life of luxury then we elect them to run the country without the knowledge or experience to do so, the big business education system of Harvard, Yale and others all turn out the same business model, "greed is good".

but the way the system is run by, and leans toward big business and the wealthy (who own everything) then we shouldn't be surprised when the little man is ground down further on the "level playing field" or gets minced up in the "global economy"

decent batteries are the answer but Govco ( big business by any other name) won't allow it.

[BENT_8]

I cant see what all the fuss is about with regard to power prices, we pay our power fortnightly with a bill smoothing card, about $65, thats for a family of 6.

Thats what, $420 a qtr, big deal, we blow more than that on Macca's.

Infact, when we pay our fortnightly bills, energy expenses is the least of my concerns.

100yrs ago people cut wood for heating, lit oil lamps for lighting, washed their own dishes and enjoyed each others company. Today we push a few buttons and our home is at the exact temperature we want, flick a switch and we have enough light to be seen from space, retrieve our crockery from the stainless steel slave under the bench each meal and spend every spare minute checking out what our best friends, who we never see, have had for dinner.
And whinge for having to pay for the privaledge.

Whats ironic is that despite all the whinging, i could walk into almost any home in this country and find a light on in an empty room, a TV talking to itself etc. etc.

Solar is a scam, set up to keep people working when things were flat, same as gas conversions, now we find gas will be fased out in the not too distant future and so will the perks for solar.

My2c.

[poppa smurf]

has anyone got the offer from AGL regarding the batteries????

what are the terms, are you still tied to an agreement?

what if you expand the batteries, can you say oorroo to AGL or are you "contracted" to stay?

whetheral wants the other suppliers to match AGL with subsidised batteries.......interesting times ahead.

[peaterj]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

has anyone got the offer from AGL regarding the batteries????

what are the terms, are you still tied to an agreement?

what if you expand the batteries, can you say oorroo to AGL or are you "contracted" to stay?

whetheral wants the other suppliers to match AGL with subsidised batteries.......interesting times ahead.

I believe you have to apply and the conditions don't look very good to me according to the FAQ.

https://aglsolar.com.au/power-in-numbers/

The agreement to participate in the virtual power plant is for a 5 year period. To participate in the virtual power plant, you must remain an AGL Energy electricity customer for the 5 year term of the agreement. At the end of the period you can choose to exit the agreement.
By participating in the virtual power plant you will have a cutting edge battery installed at a great price. If you choose to exit the agreement before the scheduled end date, you will be required to pay an early termination fee. The fee is capped at $5,000 and takes into account the period you have participated in the program and the total value of the products installed. This early termination fee is listed in the terms and conditions provided with your quote.
If you move house, AGL may agree to transfer ownership to the new owner or arrange for your battery to be transferred to your new property at your cost, so you can keep enjoying the benefits.

[poppa smurf]

ah! okay, thats not as bad as I thought actually......

[ford man xf]

What kind of cost would one be looking at for some solar panels and a Tesla solar battery?

[prydey]

Originally Posted by BENT_8

Solar is a scam,

i probably wouldn't call it a scam, but i would agree that it is only viable with a govt rebate attached. of course their are exceptions, but mostly you need the rebate to make it worthwhile.

solar certainly helped us with our bills saving at least $1500/yr. could i have made the same savings by modifying our lifestyle? no. i'm sure i could save but not to the same extent. would solar have made such an impact without the govt FIT? certainly not.

one thing though, how much strain is being taken off the grid by solar customers?

[xexr6t]

Solar adds strain to the grid. Frequency fluctuations from solar are made up for by base load coal power stations. Voltage spikes require voltage regulator upgrades in the system that push up prices for all customers. Feed in tariffs are paid by tax payers taking money from schools and hospitals to help pay some to reduce their bills.

[buggerlugs]

Originally Posted by my_gxl

I get the 52c FIT in QLD.
I used to make at least $100 per bill.
They've changed everything as of part way through my last billing period.

I got a usage charge of $0.61, not much at all I am well aware.

Big change from being up $100.

I invested $10k onto my roof in solar hot water and power. I haven't made my money back, and looks like now never will.

Beats me how any citizen is meant to be able to afford to live in the long term.

Yep, I am in the same boat. Something has changed here. I get the 52 cents as well and was always in credit. Each Bill my credit is getting lower and lower............ And we have less people in the house.........

[prydey]

Do you monitor the actual rate you pay for each kwh? Also do you monitor the point at which the tariffs change? Sometimes they are sneaky and rather than up the rate, they just change the point at which you jump up to the next bracket.

I think ours is the first 1500kwh are billed at the standard rate, then 2 more levels after that. Not sure the exact breakdown but I know it varies between providers which makes it hard to compare apples with apples when you are looking around.