Home Solar Panels/batteries.

[Skids]

I like the gas hws. Got the same type we were talking about previously on the house. The shed one is an old EBF instantaneous type.
I've got gas hot plates, 2 bayonets for space heaters and 3 bayonets outside to move the BBQ around.
The gas is very economical. I like the instant heat and adjustment for the hotplates and my BBQ is cooked on hundreds of times a year.

[stui magpie]

Yeah, I like the gas too.

I've read of plans to mix hydrogen into the gas lines to make it cleaner, IDGAF as long as my house doesn't explode. If it works, it works.

I'll move the house in Toc though to all electric with solar panels gradually.

[Skids]

[stui magpie]

Thanks mate, was interesting but not sure if it makes it much clearer. I get the reverse cycle aircon analogy but never thought of them as being incredibly energy efficient.

[think positive]

[stui magpie]

So I've joined the solar brigade. After the young woman came around a month ago and put the thingo on the electricity metre so I can use a phone app to check how much I'm using, I got a follow up call to ask If I'd be interested in speaking to a guy about getting solar panels. he came around, went through the bill and put together a proposal. 6.64kw system with 16 panels and a special inverter so the panels can be separated so some are always in the sun. (I've got lots of trees around)

After the various state and federal rebates, only costing $8k. 25yr warranty. Done, signed and 10% deposit paid. Now to hurry up and wait.

[think positive]

i got to say, its so worth it. you wont regret it

[stui magpie]

^
The numbers say so. I could have got an interest free loan and paid them off over 5 years but by paying up front means I get the savings straight away so the projections said they'll pay for themselves in less than that, especially as prices skyrocket.

[stui magpie]

I'm so conditioned to everything I'm trying to get done taking forever, I nearly fell off my chair this morning when I got a text to say they can come around and do the installation next week.

[stui magpie]

So last Friday a small army of Chinese people spent the morning stomping around on my roof. I did find it interesting that apart from the supervisor, the rest of the crew seemed to have little to no English. They all conversed with each other in Chinese (I don't know which dialect) and at least half were well over 30 which begs the question of how the hell they got here.

But anyway, they did a great job, even working through the rain which up on the roof wouldn't have been fun.

Pulled up tiles to run conduit from the inverter to the switchboard and laid them all down perfectly. Great job. Now just have to wait for the inspector to to turn it on.

[stui magpie]

Inspector came yesterday and signed off, turned it on and after chasing up the Installer, I now have the App on y phone so I can see how much electricty It's generating.

I also have another app which connects to my Electricity metre so I can see how much Electricty I'm using, per hour.

What's interesting is that overnight, with only fridges going (plus TV's on standby and other stuff) I'm using 0.3kw per hour.

This morning, for the few hours it was sunny, my usage went down to Zero for those hours.

Right now, even on a cloudy winter day, the panels are producing 1.12kw which is more than I've been using in any given hour recently.

Very fkn happy with the whole setup.

[Skids]

I just looked at mine. It's producing just under 4kW (it's 2.20pm here) and has made nearly 19kW so far today.
My last bill we sold 1010kWh back to the grid at a whopping 7.13c per unit.
Imported 640 units @ 27c per unit.

Total bill (60 days) $175

I have all that monitoring stuff, the novelty wears off in around 3 months, never even look at it anymore.

[stui magpie]

I getcha, but the novelty is brand new for me. Without factoring in the (I'm sure) meagre amount I'll get for what goes back into the grid, It looks like at minimum I won't be paying for electrickery when the sun is shining, and with Victorian bills about to skyrocket, I'm happy with that. Money well spent.

[Skids]

It's interesting to see the variance from state to state. From the cheapest @ 19.68c/kWh (ACT) to the most expensive 32.31c/kWh (SA).

State c/kWh

Queensland 27.05
New South Wales 27.74
Australian Capital Territory 19.68
Victoria 28.60
Tasmania 23.15
South Australia 32.31
Western Australia 27.17
Northern Territory 25.74

A huge shift is underway on the rooftops of Australian households, with new data revealing that households dispatched more solar power to the grid last summer than the brown coal industry.


https://indaily.com.au/news/business/2023/04/03/revealed-the-suburbs-states-and-territories-driving-australias-rooftop-solar-boom/

[Skids]

This is the site I'm now at. The solar farm in this article is just going through the final stages of commissioning and the whole site will be solar powered during daylight hours within the next few weeks.

https://www.pv-magazine-australia.com/2022/01/31/zenith-plans-industry-first-renewable-feat-for-wa-mine/