How does Solar work in Victoria

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  [Deactivated] on 11/09/2014 - 16:12

  yes

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    JimB on 11/09/2014 - 16:16

    lol… so which is it? $4.56, $1.50, or $3.03

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      [Deactivated] on 11/09/2014 - 21:28

      yes

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  [Deactivated] on 11/09/2014 - 17:28

  What is your peak buy rate and what is your off peak buy rate?
  What rate will you be selling your solar power at?
  I know you might have mentioned this in the original post but I'm sorry I couldn't figure out what was what?

  We sell our solar at a higher per kw rate than we buy it.

  We use the solar power as it's generated and whatever is left over is sent back to the grid. We try to use as little power at peak rates as possible and attempt to run major appliances like the dishwasher during off peak times when it is dark. For example the weekends are off peak but we still run the dishwasher when it is dark and we are importing power rather than exporting it.

  I hope this information helps. I know the conditions have changed recently so if you are selling the solar power for less than you are buying it, you need to reverse the usage of your major appliances and use them during peak times rather than off peak times.

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    JimB on 11/09/2014 - 17:53

    Victoria has a much lower feed in rate these days.

    As Costanza below, it will drop from 8 odd cents to 6.

    I'm not sure if Victoria has a peak/off peak rate for solar. I know I don't have peak/off peak rates.

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      [Deactivated] on 11/09/2014 - 18:16

      We get paid the same rate for our solar regardless of whether it's produced peak or off peak. Are you saying you will be only paid 8 cents or 6 cents per kw for your solar. We got into the scheme a couple of years ago and are guaranteed somewhere around 60 cents per kw for the solar we feed back to the grid. I'm not sure it will be worth it for 8 cents kw.

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  Costanza on 11/09/2014 - 17:41

  +1

  $3.03 in your example, remember (for people not already signed up to a previous scheme) Feed in drops to 6.2 c/kWh from 1 January 2015 and may change in future. And if your paying $0.25 you should look for a better deal.

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    JimB on 11/09/2014 - 17:57

    Thanks…

    I'm just using $0.25 as an example. But I do know solar customers don't get a much of a discount compared to non-solar customers.

    I haven't investigated much on the finer details.

    What does a typical 2 or 5kw set up feed in on average per day?

    At 6.2c/kWh, is it even worth getting solar these days?

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      Costanza on 11/09/2014 - 18:09

      For ~ amount that it will feed in, see Efficiency column of http://www.pvoutput.org/listteam.jsp?tid=339&t=y multiply by size of system then subtract estimate of house use during daylight hours.

      If you don't use much power during daylight hours then no its not worth it $ wise. If you do and aren't moving anytime soon it can be.

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  cloudy on 11/09/2014 - 18:18

  To answer your question, u basically use what ur panels produce first, and then u feed in any excess, if u have excess at any point in time.

  If u don't produce enough, u use what u produce, and the rest u get from the grid.

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    GnarlyKnuckles on 11/09/2014 - 21:24

    Unless you're in the (somewhat unusual sounding?) situation that pointscrazy is in, where you are selling the electricity you produce for a better rate than you can buy it from the grid. In that case, obviously you are better of using none of the electricity you produce yourself (i.e. selling it all), and buying all the electricity you do use, from the grid. Or as close to that as you can get. If I understand PCs post correctly.
    Seems weird, having solar power but trying to only use your appliances when the sun is not shining! But if you can sell it for more than it costs you to buy it, I suppose it's completely logical.

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  JimB on 12/09/2014 - 10:29

  Thanks.

  They keep chopping and changing the rules, so it's hard to work out the payback period.

  I think in future if I do get it, I think air conditioners and solar go hand in hand.

  Crank the A/C as hard you can to 16 degrees during sunny days while the sun is out, so you get a lovely cool house all the time. I suppose, also run the washing machine, dishwashers etc during the day. Because at 6.2 cents feed it, that's FA.