All things Solar (merged threads)

[davenl5l]

I will receive my offer from one big switch next week should be interesting as they are negotiating the solar feed in as well.you can still register for this with no obligation

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by 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.

old argument and not relevant nor correct then nor is it now........do some homework and actually gain some knowledge on the subject before you divulge this crap.

[my_gxl]

Originally Posted by 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.

They just upped the price and added extra charges.

My defence is clean panels, and fit a few more to ensure that the inverter can be at maximum output for a longer period.

The big selling point was-its upgradeable-so i am. Cant change the inverter-that kills our contract. Can put 3.5kw of panels on a 3kw inverter.
Currently only have 2.5kw of panels

[prydey]

Originally Posted by my_gxl

They just upped the price and added extra charges.

My defence is clean panels, and fit a few more to ensure that the inverter can be at maximum output for a longer period.

The big selling point was-its upgradeable-so i am. Cant change the inverter-that kills our contract. Can put 3.5kw of panels on a 3kw inverter.
Currently only have 2.5kw of panels

just be careful and do your homework. i know here in sa, when you get solar installed, the system size is registered with your retailer, and if you exceed that size you will lose your FIT. not sure if the same rules apply nationally.

[xexr6t]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

old argument and not relevant nor correct then nor is it now........do some homework and actually gain some knowledge on the subject before you divulge this crap.

What a lovely FACT free reply. As a power station operator and a solar installer I think my knowledge is sufficient. Seems like old Poppa Smurf can't handle the truth.

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by xexr6t

What a lovely FACT free reply. As a power station operator and a solar installer I think my knowledge is sufficient. Seems like old Poppa Smurf can't handle the truth.

before you go slinging off with more dribble......please show me where solar is starving us of schools and hospitals, this power station you "operate" where is it situated, is it coal, gas or nuclear.......who built it at what cost and who paid for it and who is subsidising it right now.......the good old taxpayer until it was privatised I assume.

I have quite a bit of knowledge of the solar and power industry as well, i can supply actual facts,not NGO propaganda. lets see some of yours as you are the one slinging out the mud......where are the missing schools?.....where are the missing hospitals

my personal taxes more than subsidise my solar which I paid for out of my pocket......the solar has since paid for itself plus saved 16,500 kilograms of Co2 from the atmosphere......I owe the taxman NOTHING.

if you don't like solar, thats fine.....dont drag up unsubstantiated rubbish just to create a bit of excitement in your life.

[wodahs]

dont forget Poppa he's both a power station professional as well as a solar professional

Originally Posted by xexr6t

a power station operator and a solar installer I think my knowledge is sufficient.

and all we have is his knowledge as fact and his word so must be so

sorry im with Poppa with this one !

[39ClevoUte]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

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.

Regardless of reasons/excuses. Balance of trade is the bottom line. Export $ < Import $, one way or the other means they are cashed up with IOUs/$AU. They have to buy something with those $, if not raw material. Even worse if they buy the mines. That's the situation we are in.

[Philaddis]

Anyone here used a company called Infinite Energy for a solar installation?

We are looking at getting a 5.35kw (20 panels) at home. These guys seem the best (but by no means cheapest) so far and are offering Canadian Solar panels and a Fronius Inverter.

Sadly, as we are on 3 phase power, the inverter options are somewhat limited and naturally more expensive, along with the increased cost of the smart meter installation. But thems the breaks and has very little to do with which company we choose.

[castellan]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

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.

China, if we could abuse our people like they do and all, the bastards are only truly cunning and totally ruthless bunch of mongrels, give them an inch and they will take a mile. who wants to be treated like they do there people, f that for a joke !

Harvard and Yale are parasites as you say, feeding off cheap labour is there true claim to there fame game, even if it's to the detriment of there own nations, todays new China was built due to such parasites as such but most of our people have been happy to go along with it all, as do our Governments.

Decent batteries, Commerce is commerce.

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by wodahs

dont forget Poppa he's both a power station professional as well as a solar professional

and all we have is his knowledge as fact and his word so must be so

sorry im with Poppa with this one !

yes mate! and in his spare time I've heard he's a neurosurgeon.......fools and school kids will try every ploy to be a troll just to fill in their very long day, some are ALMOST believable, others, as shown here, well speaks for itself.

at least I am what i say I am, an old fool who messes about with stuff and helps others try to save a quid.

just on another note, I was listening to leon byner this morning at a mates place, (he's just bought 16 forklift batteries off ebay and we're trying to get the system straight and neat)..... anyhow, Leon was saying there was going to be a meeting of energy ministers from all states today to discuss the "crisis" in SA's energy.

wonder what the outcome from that will be.

[xexr6t]

I also worked on the Murrylink interconnector in the early 2000's. I was at the Red Cliffs site in northern Victoria. No neurosurgery yet, but who knows what the future holds.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

there was going to be a meeting of energy ministers from all states today to discuss the "crisis" in SA's energy.

http://www.afr.com/opinion/editorial...0160818-gqvtrh

[poppa smurf]

damn it opened up then closed on me, would have liked to have a squizz at that.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by xexr6t

Voltage spikes require voltage regulator upgrades in the system that push up prices for all customers.

the sceptic in me says the power companies are just using it as yet another excuse to jack up pricing.

the truth is, pricing only goes in one direction, and they will find whatever cause they can to justify their increases. my bills were trending upwards long before solar was introduced.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

damn it opened up then closed on me, would have liked to have a squizz at that.

yeah, worked for me the first time but now i get the same thing.

just type COAG into google or your browser and you should find a few articles relating to the meeting in canberra today.

[poppa smurf]

managed to snag it through a back door.

for those who would like a read and can't get it to stay open here it is in full.


Energy market reform will top agenda at meeting of COAG partners
JOSH FRYDENBERGThe Australian12:00AM August 19, 2016

The national energy market is *undergoing structural change.

In 2004, coal represented more than 75 per cent of national electricity generation, and in 2014-15 it was about 60 per cent. In 2004, *renewables were just over 8 per cent of electricity generation; today they are about 15 per cent, and expected to reach 23 per cent by 2020. And remarkably in 2004, Australia was looking to import gas from Papua New Guinea, but by the end of this decade we will be the world’s largest LNG exporter.

When one adds to the mix the opportunities presented from new technologies such as battery storage, smart meters and electric *vehicles, it’s no overstatement to say the electricity market a decade from now will be fundamentally different to the one we have today. However, not only is it *important to acknowledge a transition is taking place but to enable it to take place in a way that delivers affordable, reliable energy as we move to a lower emissions *future.

This is why the portfolios of Environment and Energy have been brought together at the federal level — they are now in effect two sides of the same coin.

To this end, the COAG Energy Council is working on significant reforms in three areas.

First, a more liquid and transparent gas market. Gas, with less than half the emissions of coal, is a transition fuel that can power electricity generation at baseload level, particularly at peak times.

Australia has an abundance of gas but domestic contracts are pre*dominantly bilateral, long-term and confidential, thereby *inhibiting efficient competition. In contrast, the US has the famed Henry Hub model whereby *buyers and sellers trade gas on a short-term basis and the market price is visible to all. Such a model could have real benefits for Australia as we consider at COAG the creation of a new gas market around two major gas trading hubs in Victoria and in Queensland. Moomba in South Australia has the potential to provide significant additional support.

Combined with recommendations around capacity trading on gas pipelines and consideration of an expanded coverage test to the pipeline pricing arrangements, one can see real scope for reform in the gas market, which could be the most significant in decades.

Second, a more consumer *focused electricity market that empowers choice in a bid to drive down electricity costs. The advent of smart meters allows consumers for the first time to track their use of electricity on a daily basis. With the potential for networks to offer consumers different pricing structures for peak and non-peak times, COAG will explore reforms to empower consumers to more effectively manage their energy use, and as a result get more control over their bills. At the same time, reforms in this area could *reduce the overall demand pressure at peak times on the grid.

In a separate initiative, but on a similar theme, COAG is looking at effective consumer protections for those that use battery storage with their solar PV systems. Many of these households are now *exempt from the National Energy Customer Framework and this may act as a disincentive to the *uptake of this grid strengthening technology.

Keeping a lid on network costs is also critical when it is considered that up to 50 per cent of household power bills relate to the costs of networks. COAG is looking at the limited merits review process and the way it can be enhanced to benefit consumers.

Third, strengthening the sta*bility and connectivity of the *National Electricity Market is a priority for COAG. There are six interconnectors between states that enable these jurisdictions to balance supply and demand, namely to *receive more electricity when demand requires it or to send surplus capacity to *another jurisdiction as it is created.

The case is now put by some *jurisdictions that with intermittent generation, namely wind and solar being used in greater quantities, more interconnectors will need to be built to stabilise the system. Given the cost of these interconnectors can run into the hundreds of millions of dollars, it’s appropriate that a rigorous cost-benefit analysis is undertaken. Sometimes, however, these analyses can take years and include an extensive red tape burden. The commonwealth will be leading *efforts to reduce this burden so a green or a red light can be given to an interconnector proposal in a more cost effective time frame.

Finally, recent events in South Australia and a greater use of *intermittent energy across the grid has raised the importance of maintaining a stable energy supply with a consistent frequency and the necessary ancillary ser*vices. This is a highly technical but vital area where COAG is also working on a series of reforms.

Given the nature of our federal system, energy policy is one area where no jurisdiction is sovereign. As a result, the commonwealth and the states need to work co-*operatively to ensure the system adapts to the dramatic change now under way.

There is a lot of good will, and today’s COAG meeting offers an important *opportunity to find common ground for the benefit of consumers and businesses across the country.

Josh Frydenberg is the federal Minister for the Environment and Energy.

[xexr6t]

If solar and wind don't add to instability in the grid, then why would new interconnectors be needed?

[poppa smurf]

baseline stability basically, if the sun don't shine and the wind don't blow then we must import power, currently we have only one inter-connecter and that is from Victoria, we are at their mercy.

from memory, correct me if I'm wrong here as the chances are high, I'm working from a discussion held between Leon Byner and the energy minister a couple of days ago that I was listening to, Victoria has two connectors, NSW has three.

until and if we get true parity in the grid system, I.E. more interconnections and until we construct, or indeed IF we construct a molten salt, solar power system at Port Augusta then the moguls can charge whatever they like and generate the power as they see fit in order to increase their revenue.

there are currently some 10,000 folks in South Australia (depending who you talk to) that simply can't afford the power and go without.

we have major companies that are talking about shutting up shop and moving either interstate or overseas in order to cut their power cost.......this is serious stuff, if we lose any more manufacturing industries South Australia may as well all go somewhere else.

Weatherill wants us to become "the green state"......I reckon given another ten years at current growth rate of energy charges I will be the only one left here.......hopefully someone will come and visit me occasionally.

to say that power prices "are not too bad" is to stick your head in the sand and ignore reality, people are moving and businesses are closing.......these are facts, not fiction, we are in a bad way and getting worse.

[xexr6t]

I was being a little sarcastic with my question Popa Smurf. I think this proves some of my earlier point.

It's not just no sun and no wind. Its sun cloud sun cloud, low wind no wind high wind all within minutes. This is a cause of major disruption. A disruption only countered currently by large synchronous generators in the system ie coal and gas fired power stations.

There is no doubt renewable energy has raised prices, especially in S.A. with its heavily subsidised wind farms. State government policy put you guys in this position. You should thank god for cheap victorian power, its the only thing keeping S.A. from blackouts.

By the way if the so called power "moguls" build your molten salt plant then nothing will change. The big power companies will always dominate the market whether is so called dirty power or clean energy.

[poppa smurf]

okay, sarcasm, I should have realised a troll can't change his stripes, I'm too trusting obviously, just can't change some folks.......you continue in your world, I'll continue here in reality.

[Mercury Bullet]

I think you might find that privatisation is what has raised electricity prices to record levels.

[Mercury Bullet]

I wonder how this interconnect is going to work in WA?

Obviously it won't, but how will we be compensated?
There has already been issues with the Nth West Shelf pipeline being maxed out.

[xisled]

Originally Posted by davenl5l

I will receive my offer from one big switch next week should be interesting as they are negotiating the solar feed in as well.you can still register for this with no obligation

One big switch is the biggest joke of them all.

They ran this campaign a few years ago and they went with the retailer that I worked for at the time. The offer at was available to one big switch customers was the exact same offer that was available to new customers who signed up at the time.

So after they got x amount of people, they put the offer out and you were no better off by going through one big switch.

Funny thing is one big switch gets a commission from the energy company for every customers that gets signed up. It's usually around $50 or so dollars. So end of the days it's about one big switch bottom line and what money they can make from you not what they can save you.

I asked them a question on the Facebook page and they deleted it without a response. Basically asking them of it will happen again. Guess what they deleted be question from their Facebook page.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by xisled

So end of the days it's about one big switch bottom line and what money they can make from you not what they can save you.

.

Sounds like a union

[Myluckyday]

Originally Posted by my_gxl

Cant change the inverter-that kills our contract. Can put 3.5kw of panels on a 3kw inverter.
Currently only have 2.5kw of panels

I'm also in SE-QLD and have done something similar.

Read ... http://www.fordforums.com.au/showpos...postcount=3061

We are living here now full time, we are carefull about the elec and still returning a small credit each month.

That's even with the hot water on the high tariff as we can't go to the cheaper controlled tariff.

When the old electric system blows up, we'll bite the bullet and change over to a solar Hot Water.

So, for us ... it works.

[Mercury Bullet]

If you are going solar hot water be very wary of Rheem.

We used to have Edwards because of their stainless steel tanks (well worth the extra) and Rheem have taken them over. When I needed a new one I was assured it was a stainless tank.

Once it was on the roof and installed we discovered to our shock that it's not stainless, but mild steel. I'm ropable.

Spent $4000 on utter junk!

[wodahs]

Originally Posted by Mercury Bullet

If you are going solar hot water be very wary of Rheem.

We used to have Edwards because of their stainless steel tanks (well worth the extra) and Rheem have taken them over. When I needed a new one I was assured it was a stainless tank.

Once it was on the roof and installed we discovered to our shock that it's not stainless, but mild steel. I'm ropable.

Spent $4000 on utter junk!

how long ago was it fitted ? mines an Edwards unit and about 6 to 7 + years old

the interesting part with this renewables is junk bizo is that the town/city of canarvon W.A is of grid and total renewables owned by the entire town and has been since they days of dick smith saying on tv the only way to go with cheap clean power is nuclear so if renewables can work up there why is it bad for me to have

[xexr6t]

Carnarvon became a case study for the issues that distributed generation can cause for small-scale electricity grids last year, when a stop was put on new solar installations due to grid destabilisation fears–the Carnarvon grid experienced issues with localised instances of voltage rises, solar PV system fires, impacts on planning strategies for the future of the grid, electrical ‘harmonics’ resulting from solar system inverters, plus a number of other problems.

They fixed all the issues by spending 77 million dollars on a gas fired power station. A city of less than 5,000 people needed a $77,000,000 fix due to renewables. Keep telling yourself that renewables don't add cost to everyone's power bills.

[prydey]

Power bills were trending upward long before renewables became a thing, so while there is a lot of spending going on to try to have a sustainable power supply, I don't think it would have been a lot different if it wasn't happening. They would just found something else to blame the price hikes on.