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Solar Sharer: Bowen wants retailers to offer free electricity for three hours in middle of every day (reneweconomy.com.au)

submitted 2 months ago by Gorgritch_umie_killa@aussie.zone to c/environment@aussie.zone

11 comments fedilink hide all child comments

What do people think good idea? Or no?

top 11 comments

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[–] melbaboutown@aussie.zone 5 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

I do like it, especially if people are already using off-peak.

Not everyone will be home to use it in the middle of the day though? You can get around that with timers but if you don’t have flatmates or family at home that only gets one load of laundry done while you’re at work

It would be better if it could be stored and allocated to times when there’s increased demand… but then maybe they’re trying to get the excess supply used up like this so they don’t have to pay for all the batteries in the first place

[–] Gorgritch_umie_killa@aussie.zone 3 points 2 months ago

I think thats it isn't it, not a huge game changer policy. Its a small win they can get for people while the system has excessive amounts of solar during the day.

[–] CameronDev@programming.dev 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

The wholesale price is already basically negative during the day due to solar, so it doesnt make sense to be paying the retail rate.

I'm already on OVOs 3 hours for free plan, and with a battery, it is pretty great. Makes up for my solar panels being shaded by a new development.

[–] Gorgritch_umie_killa@aussie.zone 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Oh, so some retailers already have a similar plan?

Being from WA I don't always know the ins-and-outs of the east/south coast energy market.

[–] CameronDev@programming.dev 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

OVO and AGL offer plans. I was actually worried that the plans would get cancelled, because they are such good value for my circumstances.

I basically charge my battery between 11-2, and then dont draw any outside of that, so I basically get all my electricity for free (plus the daily charge).

[–] NeedAnotherOne@aussie.zone 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Same here, charge all the batteries all the time on OVO free plan, very good in winter I'd be curious to see if they have done their homework. A small percentage sponging is no worries but if we all sponge there might not be as much excess anymore... which is fine. Also the tailers are just gonna bump their plans, in someway, ie last time AusGrid dropped their shoulders and increased their *peaks

[–] CameronDev@programming.dev 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Could make the argument that the retailers are sponging off us at all other times, we give them solar for pennies, they sell it for 5x the price. So it balances out?

[–] NeedAnotherOne@aussie.zone 2 points 2 months ago

Yeah for sure, especially if the chain of measures is not clean. IE with my smart meter they know my export and pay me 2c, that then goes into the neighbours house who are on a dumb meter and they get charged 39c. I think things like that might be dark spots in the data the govt might be working off, but the retailers will know exactly how much "dark energy" (satire) there is in their purse.

[–] trk@aussie.zone 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Its a fantastic idea.

Load your dishwasher, clothes washer, dryer and run it in the free hours.

Set your hot water timer to run in the free hours.

Get a battery and charge it during the free hours.

Very simple way to use up some of that excess grid power, reduce peak load, and save yourself some coin at the same time.

[–] CameronDev@programming.dev 3 points 2 months ago

Heatpump hot water effectively becomes free as well. You just set it to warm during the free period. Which is another nail in natural gases coffin.

[–] hanrahan@piefed.social 2 points 2 months ago

Yes, alas its only for a tiny part of the nation. I'd only charge my ecar (run my HWS etc) during those times if it was available. I do charge off of solar now though and not a lot of excess solar in Tassie anyway.