This community is a place created for the people of Melbourne and Victoria. We are a positive, welcoming and inclusive community. We might not agree about everything, but we always strive to stay civil and respectful.
The focus of our discussions is based around things that effect Victoria, but we are also free to discuss our local perspective on wider issues. Or head to the regular Daily Random Discussion thread to talk about anything.
Ongoing discussions, FAQs & Resources (still under construction)
Adoption Certificate for Nellie, the Daily Thread numbat (with thanks to @Catfish)
As the flyer says, with the recent electricity price increases, it may be time to time to think about a battery to complement your solar system. We have rooftop solar that has contributed less to our bill over the last few years as the feed-in tariffs have decreased. Was wondering if anyone has gone ahead with a battery installation? Considering it? Installed but regret it?
This group spams these letters out, I get them from time to time. It feels a bit scammy, but I can't say for certain that they are a scam. Probably just very aggressive marketing.
I have a 10kw battery, and unless you want to feel better than everyone else, I don't think it's worth it. With the battery you should expect your feed in rates to go to zero (increasing your bill), as you'll charge the battery during the day. If you can keep your usage under the battery capacity, your grid usage will be near zero. It's also potentially useful to be able to run your house on battery if you have a power outage, but that is an optional extra ($300).
I tried out Amber for Batteries, but it quickly became clear that there isn't really a way for it to be profitable. Usage is always ~20c higher than feed in, so you need to have a lot of battery capacity to ensure you don't run out and need to start pulling from the grid.
There really is no free lunch anymore, and solar and batteries don't strike me as being valuable investments anymore.