NSW Solar Bonus Scheme ending on 31/12/16 - an Origin Energy customer

LCecillyL on 24/03/2016 - 01:14
Last edited 24/03/2016 - 08:27

I'm with Origin and have just received a notice about the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme scheme ending on 31/12/16.

Origin told me in its "exclusive offer to origin customers" it "will supply and install a remotely read digital meter free of charge in the next few months" because "(my) current meter was set up to send all the power (I) generate(d) to the grid system … When the scheme ends, one way to get more value from (my) solar system is to use the energy (my) solar panels generate in (my) home before sending excess energy back to the grid. … As part of (Origin's) exclusive digital meter offer (it) will also pay (its) customers a special solar feed-in tariff from 1 January 2017."

Question to others: what does this really mean? Are there other better options? What are other suppliers doing for their customers? All comments appreciated.

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Comments

  • nocure on 24/03/2016 - 01:51
    +1

    (Origin's) exclusive digital meter offer (it) will also pay (it's) customers a special solar feed-in tariff from 1 January 2017."

    How special?

  • xsacha on 24/03/2016 - 02:14

    The question will be what do other retailers offer as a FiT for 1 January 2017. Luckily you have a long time to research it.
    Hopefully there's enough time to change everyone's meter over before then.

  • 2jzzzz on 24/03/2016 - 09:15

    The best way to work this out is how much do they pay you for the power and how much do you pay for it? A friend sells all of his power to the grid at say 25c/kw, but buys it off peak at 11c/kw. He does his washing off peak etc so comes out on top.

    If you had wife and kids at home during the day, ie peak times, you might as well use what you make because company might be charging you 30c/kw. Have washing, air con etc etc

  • Baghern on 24/03/2016 - 10:18

    Wow thats nice of them, I'm guessing they've been told they have to.

    Basically those smart enough to jump on the solar scheme/scam

    Were able to get 60c or 20c later on solar generated. Basically the 60c being more than the cost of buying, 20c was too before they jacked up prices.

    What your case is telling me us is that there was an additional dodgy scheme/scam in that you can sell and buy at the same time. So rather than not use any electricity during the day so you can take advantage of the 60c sell back, people were able to sell back during the day at 60c, at the same time buying it off Origin at the lower price.

    The special buyback is probably what is currently the norm, I got solar after those schemes were stopped, and I get 6c buy back. But in my case during the day I USE my solar first and send sell the excess. This is the type of meter change they're offering to you.

    Note some retailers don't give you a rebate for excess solar energy, they just take it ie AGL when I last checked.

    Though our market is now deregulated, so best to check every electricity supplier first and incorporate the 6c. Our prices aren't dodgy as Victoria yet… but it will head that way in the long time

    • mskeggs on 24/03/2016 - 11:41

      The 60c FIT was a gross tariff. You sold all solar power generated at that price. The meters installed at the time supported that.
      Customers can stay on that tariff and do nothing, but the gross FIT falls to 6c or lower at the end of the year.
      The most economic option for most households will be to exchange their meter for one that support a Net Feed in Tariff. In this case, power generated by your panels will first go to power your home, but only be exported if it exceeds usage. This lowers the number of 25c (approx) kilowatt hours you need to buy from the grid, but only gets you a similar low 6c or whatever FIT for exported power.

      • Baghern on 24/03/2016 - 15:35

        I didn't get it, so its all a dodgy scam…

  • mskeggs on 24/03/2016 - 11:37

    The issue is likely to be what tariff you will be eligible to select for the power you use from the grid.
    My guess is this opening salvo will want to restrict you to Time of Use metering, which is highly disadvantageous if you use most of your power in the evening (because you work/go to school etc.). This goes double if you use air conditioning. If it allows you to choose a tariff that works for you, however, it looks like a reasonable deal.
    The other issue is that there are not enough accredited sparkies to do all the meter changes that will be required in a short period at the end of the year, so if you 'wait & see' what other offers emerge you might not be able to get the meter change over done in a reasonable time period.

    Bear in mind there are tens of thousands of houses with this issue, and the power companies, rightly, see it a s a chance to grab market share as it is an event that will force these houses to make a decision about which power company they use. So I think there will be some pretty good offers on the table as they try and beat each other.

  • mskeggs on 24/03/2016 - 11:42

    It would be good to get any numbers you can tell us from the offer, like how many cents the 'special' FIT is, and what the cost of power will be on the associated plan, and any time of day restrictions.

  • CecillyL on 24/03/2016 - 14:01

    Origin didn't provide any hard facts in a dollars and cents sense, which was no surprise. The offer of "a special solar feed-in tariff" can be "secured" by having the digital meter installed by Origin. Terribly vague isn't it!?!

  • noramando on 06/06/2016 - 21:37

    Recently I received an email from AGL with similar scheme. The content is as following:

    "Introducing Solar Maximiser.

    As part of our Solar Maximiser offer, we’ll upgrade eligible homes to a new digital electricity meter – for free^.

    Your new meter will allow you to use your solar energy during the day to power your home and appliances, reducing the amount of energy you need to purchase from the grid. And if you export any excess energy to the grid, you’ll receive a Feed-In Tariff which is currently 5.1c/kWh.

    Installations in your area will commence December 2016. "

    Would like to hear any comment.

    • mskeggs on 06/06/2016 - 21:52

      I got the same. There is a little fine print that suggests you don't have to change to a time of use tariff, which is the gotcha I was on the look out for. It appears safe to do nothing for now anyway, and see if there are any better deals toward the end of the year.

      • noramando on 09/06/2016 - 10:29

        The lack of support from the local and Federal government is not helping. In addition the electricity bill has gone up of which I used to get credit but now the bill is eating away my credit. Seem to me that we are penalised for installing the solar panel. Can we changed to our previous standard electricity meter after 31 Dec 2016 which cost less in peak time? Getting 5.1 cents per kWh is just ridiculous.

  • noramando on 07/11/2016 - 09:45

    Open this can of worms again. It is now November and there are limited options to choose. Are we doomed and suffer the higher than normal electricity bill from next year onwards?

    • mskeggs on 07/11/2016 - 10:00
      +1

      Yes, you will be back on normal bills.
      Diamond Energy and Powershop have the highest FIT I am aware of (8c and 7.2c) with no caveats.
      Powershop will do a free meter change to net.

      Origin and AGL will do free meter swaps, with no changes in tariff.
      Energy Australia have an offer with a premium FIT and free meter change, but has a lock-in contract. I would look closely at them if you export a lot of power (like 5kW+ arrays).

      • noramando on 07/11/2016 - 23:32

        Many thanks mskeggs. Interestingly I have been with AGL for a few years. I thought I had a smart meter after the installation of the solar panel and AGL thought the same as well. Until a recent was raised to AGL and a comprehensive investigation was conducted by AGL and discovered that I have a digital meter NOT a smart meter. And the excess power has been put back into the grid over the last few years. Does it mean that I do not require to change the meter because it is already a digital meter? When they talk about meter swap, is it just smart meter back to digital meter? I wonder.

        • mskeggs on 08/11/2016 - 08:36
          +1

          The metering issue is that to support the 60c FIT they installed a gross meter, counting every kwh produced by the panels and paying for it.
          You need a Net meter now, counting only power exported to the grid (so you get the benefit of power you use on site).
          Probably, AGL will want to install a smart meter since they are visiting.

        • noramando on 08/11/2016 - 11:53

          @mskeggs: Forgive my ignorant. So the NET meter is the one support FIT, am I correct?

        • mskeggs on 08/11/2016 - 12:00

          @noramando:

          Both support FIT.
          Gross (the kind you have now) simply exports all power straight to the grid. Currently, each kWh earns 60c, but after December it will be a tenth of that.
          Net offsets the power you generate against your daytime consumption, so only pays you for the left overs. This is desirable as it reduces the amount of 25c kWh power you will need to buy.

        • noramando on 08/11/2016 - 13:08

          @mskeggs: Thanks. You are a smart and handsome cookie.

  • noramando on 16/11/2016 - 14:51

    FYI. I conduct a relatively comprehensive study on the after life of Solar benefit scheme. I shall be paying about $250 exclude GST every 3 months after the 6 cents rebate. The said figure excludes further discount by either Pay on time (19%) or Pay by Direct Debit (20%). I have no idea how to post it on ozbargain for the benefit of the public. But surely would be benefitial if "mskeggs" can check whether the calculation makes sense. The data based on my last electricity bill.

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