Solar panels.

[smithcorp]

Hey norbs, what's your view on current FITs available? We are on 12c until August, with every indication they won't go for more than 3c. What are the alternatives?

[norbs]

Yeah, it is a fucking shit show right now. I am still waiting for my system to go on grid with Origin. They assure me all the data is being saved and I will be credited the energy I have fed into the grid.

I wrangled a 5 year sub to Solar Analytics which looks at your usage and suggests the best plan for you.

This is the current suggestions. Watch the supply charges. That has gone from 78c/day 18 months ago to $1.38/day now for me.

Also worth a look - https://www.energymadeeasy.gov.au/start

https://www.solarchoice.net.au/blog/bey ... y-retailer

Its not all about FIT these days

[norbs]

Something else worth looking into.

Im going to give Diamond a try.

[smithcorp]

Anyone had their panels washed and seen a benefit? I've done the pre-winter shrub pruning to reduce shadowing, but the output feels low (its been a bad season for solar though). Thinking of getting them cleaned, assuming all the rain has left deposits on the panel. Any recommendations?

[norbs]

Anyone had their panels washed and seen a benefit? I've done the pre-winter shrub pruning to reduce shadowing, but the output feels low (its been a bad season for solar though). Thinking of getting them cleaned, assuming all the rain has left deposits on the panel. Any recommendations?

I washed mine at Culburra Beach. Cant say I noticed a massive change.

Wont be washing the ones here. I will die if I fall off the back roof

[smithcorp]

Haha - did a quick check yesterday on Solaredge only to find my 5kW panels have been offline for most of May! Error showing on the inverter, and we were only producing from the older 1.6kW panels. Booked a service call, but I need to monitor more closely. Wish the app gave you a headsup...

[norbs]

I get warnings on this system and the old one if it goes off line. Sure there isnt a sertting?

[smithcorp]

No option for it in my Solar Edge app. I'll ask the tech when they come if there's any updated monitoring software for it. Initial assessment seems to be the problem is the Inverter. 5 years old, so hopefully got a 10-year warranty.

[Brett_S]

Time to change plans - current FiT is 12c with AGL and they are cancelling the plan soon

The plan they want to move us to is 5c but we get lower pricing overall which might work if we're using solar to charge the car

The missus was looking at Amber as an option - anyone used them? Seems like you need to be constantly monitoring the wholesaler price

[nutty]

Go back a few pages, norbs had a wild ride

[norbs]

Cant recommend Amber. Any time there is grid volatility, you pay big time.

[smithcorp]

My plan with Origin has just renewed and is now down to 10c FIT. I'm trying to work out whether I should move to a non-FIT plan with cheaper tariffs and do more to harvest solar to power the household.

For instance my Zappi lets me charge the car form 100% solar, so saves heaps - my peak rate is 62.76, so I figure the solar going into the car is better than going back to the grid. Similarly, we have an induction stovetop going in in a week or so, we are planning to get a heat pump for hot water and reverse cycle ac to replace gas heating (objective this year to cut out gas entirely), so using solar and off-peak electricity as much as possible.

This includes potentially using the car battery as a house battery (planning to get an L2 electrician to quote on setting up a generator input to power the lights and powerpoints from the car's V2L capability).

Origin's cheapest TOU non-FIT plan saves only 1 cent per kWr (61.72 - there is a cheaper flexible rate one, but I am suspicious of those), so looking for recommendations for a cheap reliable provider.

[Brett_S]

Cant recommend Amber. Any time there is grid volatility, you pay big time.

Yeah, that's what I thought - will steer clear of them

Seems the best option is to pick the cheapest and use the excess solar to charge the car

A battery might be something we consider next couple of years

[norbs]

Havent been keeping an eye on my electricity bill, but went to take a look today. Diamond Energy are slugging my $1.81/day just for the connection. So they can fuck off. Turns out I had 1 email in my spam folder to day it was going up.

Check out the export vs usage below, and I still get a bill for $78 last month.

[smithcorp]

Time to think about storage maybe.

[norbs]

Time to think about storage maybe.

Still doesnt make financial sense. Been chatting to a few different industry people today. Finn from Solar quotes has been great.

I am going to get the cheapest supplier I can as it is still Essential Energy that supplies the power.

https://www.energymadeeasy.gov.au/

Found one there that gives me 20c FIT. 4x what I am getting now.

https://my.solaranalytics.com/ is suggesting that will mean I get money back in summer, unlike now. Lets see how that works out.

[smithcorp]

Thanks for the site norbs

[norbs]

I moved from Diamond to Globird. Diamond just kept ramping up prices.

Oct with Diamond, $67 bill.
Nov with Globird, $70 credit.

[norbs]

Wow!

[KNAPPO]

[DarrenM]

You'd think they'd see how their gaslighting is working for them in the polls.

[norbs]

You'd think they'd see how their gaslighting is working for them in the polls.

They keep pushing ahead with the stupidity. Its working well for Labor and independents.

[CLP]

https://xkcd.com/2812/

[norbs]

Jesus christ. Talk about being robbed.

generated 1mWh more than we used. Costs me $28.98. I understand thats cheaper than a lot of peoples bills, but still.

[pixelboy]

Battery...!