Yet another excessive bill

[Satchelj]

Recently replace aged 6 kw solar panel with new 13kw panels u Bute smart meter they call it, pathetic feed in tariffs nice one AGL, suck in free energy into the grid from my system charge a siqllian bucks more 62% higher rate than the same time last year amazing!! for energy supplied free from household solar,  new pricing coming, same pathetic feed in tariff but increased supply squeeze great work again AGL profiting well off what the grid got from our site for free no benefit at all from investing 8- 9 thou to update and renew solar systems, pointless even using solar with a monopoly owned corporate 

will be getting off the AGL gravy train getting better tariffs elsewhere time to leave this piggy in its own trough moving onto a better feed in tariff and supplier more of us need to break this monopoly down 

[Lester]

13kw system ?

You should be killing it . . . IF you use power during the day mostly, that's where you generally get the best from solar, rather than feed in (in general).

I say in general, you haven't advised your feed in, although described as pathetic, I'd sy you are on a 6c or even 5c feed in ?

Yes, that's pathetic, and why using power during the day is required.

If you work all day and the home is empty, using minor trickle through the day, then the sun dips, you come home, use massive PEAK PRICED power of an evening, and again early morn before dawn, then repeat, repeat through the week, of course you don't get the best out of solar.

So with a new smart meter, you have gone from a single rate tariff to a TOU (time of use) tariff ??

Yes, in the above situation, this could have a bad effect on your bill. 

Maybe compare old and new bills, the tariff / rates etc.

If you were changed to TOU, ask if you can go onto a single tariff again, not sure it's possible.

We went to TOU and as we are home a lot during the day, it works ok for us.

Another thing to consider, how long has the new system been in ?

We got solar (11.23kw) in Dec 2023, during summer we were nailing 65 kw a day avg production, up to low 70 kw a day . . . and no usage during the daylight for those long summer hours, sending masses to the grid (even at 6c), and our power bill progressing at well under $2 a day, lowest was about $1.50 a day and that included the $1 a day supply charge . . . so $0.50 - $1 a day power cost . . . GREAT !

NOW, in winter, we have lousy feed in (I'm actually a bit embarrassed to say what it is !), and a daily bill of around $4 a day, so 6x to 3x power cost per day, plus the supply charge.

We have some things happening soon to (hopefully) reduce this daily cost somewhat by increasing solar production, 2 large trees that block winter sun, so we'll see.

IF your system is hooked up right, and your production is high, you would be able to resolve this with a battery, but you are looking at another $15k, but you should be able to wipe any bill, except for possibly the 3 winter months.

But then a battery can be topped off from the grid during shoulder period cheapest tariff.

Good luck solving your dilemma, it won't be easy or cheap, and that's with most retailers who are in many states almost identical in cost.

[Satchelj]

cheers Lester appreciate your comments and thoughts i ll offer some clarity on a few points you made 

feed in traffic that has never changed 0.05 that half a cent 🙂 per Kw 

general daily cost of $16- $20 per day.

last months $380 for 31 days was still using pool filters during the day but overcast weather crept in we live in far north S.A so rare to have long stretches of overcast, hence pool got turned off and covered for the winter, trees etc. all got cot down / pruned back when the system was installed no shadow it's a two-story place, got rid of chest freezers etc fridge etc. switched to 12 volt down lights from traditional  that said past 31 days no filters running no one about during the day yet a $515. bill arrives makes one furious and exceptionally suspicious of who's trolling the meter tbh.Not the first time this has happened 280 -350 for a few months then the random $5-600 one turns up with the usual oh the rates have changes excuses from AGL won't be staying with AGL moving onto where i can get 5 to 6 cents a kw current plan from sumo coming through at $160 month based against this current AGL bill comparison says a lot.  Further research yet before I sign with anyone yet simply no faith any energy / telco companies i have been with for twenty years and more not feeding the greedy corporates any further. yours certainly sound like its producing what the expected outcomes were well done enjoy 🙂 

[Lester]

Hi again @Satchelj 

If it is $0.05 c then it is 5c, $0.005 is half a cent, but I'm sure, absolutely sure, no one is on half a cent feed in, it will be 5c for sure.

Still, that is totally useless, even for someone with a lot of solar kw, feed in is such case is just a little icing on the cake, the real savings in what's used during solar production through the day, saving mega amounts in comparison.

This suits people home most of the time in daytime, like me, semi retired, work a lot from home, wife (and I on some things) do most household chores during the day, when out solar covers most, if not all, of that usage.

Our bill pre 6 - 7 months ago before solar, was min $600, ranged up to near $1000 a quarter, quite high for 2 people, but we have a lot of IT stuff and, I dunno, about 10 security cameras working 24/7 around the place, the constant draw is min 350w - 400w right through hours of sleep or being away.

For me an the wife, we generally consume about 11kw - 17kw a day, depending on what work I'm doing here, machinery like compressor, wood working or welding gear, etc, and in the home kettle, usual other appliances, no drier though, only 3 or 4 times a year for that if really needed.

We have fairly modern low power things like small chest freezer, fridge, washer and drier etc, and all light globes in the home are led, very minimal power draw.

I've worked out in Summer and shoulder power costs will be eliminated, even slightly negative, but when it shifts to winter and away towards summer again, our worst bill will still be about $400.

Still, I'm glad I made the move and researched for the system we got, just in SA I would recommend anyone getting solar, to try and get a battery same time, it's the only way to really keep ahead of the bills (if one can afford / justify the investment).

Your bill is really high at that $1000 a quarter or more, I can see why you are upset about that in comparison to previous year.

And for sure, winter is really bad for solar, almost demoralising.

My answer for that is maybe get a battery, have to really wait now to see what winter and shoulder billing is to justify that, but even in winter you can top off a battery in shoulder soak rates, and reuse in peak, so savings even in winter can be quite high.

Everyone's situation is different though, and it's a minefield working through solar needs, battery advantages, and power plans to suit your own household.

All the best with the investigations to reduce your power cost.