foxidrive
Retired Admin
We had a SMART meter installed today - couldn't tell them to bugger off coz we don't want one - so there go all the meter reading jobs.
misi's new car
- Thread starter foxidrive
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We had a SMART meter installed today - couldn't tell them to bugger off coz we don't want one - so there go all the meter reading jobs.
Driverless Trains will be commonplace in years to come.
misi
Growing Little Guru
No more drunk drivers???
foxidrive
Retired Admin
They ain't banning alcohol anytime soon. 
We had solar fitted today. Already got a (maybe) smart meter here.
When they fitted one back at the other residence the guy fitted a wireless sender to it. And a chap I spoke to near here said they can send accumulative data house by house and collect it at the the end of a street or whatever. Personally I think it can be collected down the power lines anyway. If we can have internet down power lines surely they can get encrypted blocks of data from it too.
foxidrive
Retired Admin
...maybe it's not encrypted too.
The solar sounds good.
The solar sounds good.
I got Solar, but no smart meter..
Funny thing is, if I did have a smart meter, I would be paying more for power..
Funny thing is, if I did have a smart meter, I would be paying more for power..
foxidrive
Retired Admin
Solar needs a special meter doesn't it?
Yep, got a special meter, but it isn't smart ! The Energex man wired it up wrong, so I get paid for all my solar power produced, instead of what just goes to the grid..
foxidrive
Retired Admin
Ahh, that's how come you can afford to go cruising. 
We don't have a special meter for solar, just 2 isolation switches, 1 to isolate the inverter from the grid, the other to isolate the solar from the inverter. Then we have a new C/B in the C/B box (Used to be known as:- a new fuse in the fuse box).
These 5Kw SMA (German) inverters come in any colour you like, as long as you like red. The Bosch (German) unit is our instant on hot water cos we are on bottled gas.
The 2 boxes under that lovely red & black inverter are the PV isolator (Left) and the grid isolator (right)
We wanted the 5Kw system (20 x 250w panels) but tsk tsk... only allowed to connected 3Kw so instead of 20 panels we have 12.
These 5Kw SMA (German) inverters come in any colour you like, as long as you like red. The Bosch (German) unit is our instant on hot water cos we are on bottled gas.
The 2 boxes under that lovely red & black inverter are the PV isolator (Left) and the grid isolator (right)
We wanted the 5Kw system (20 x 250w panels) but tsk tsk... only allowed to connected 3Kw so instead of 20 panels we have 12.
foxidrive
Retired Admin
Who set the limit to 3 Kw? Council?
As for metering - to feed into the grid I was told that you need a special meter.
As for metering - to feed into the grid I was told that you need a special meter.
Powercorp's computer said no. The transformers in our road couldn't handle the feedback if a few more residents put systems on as well. So don't worry about whether nobody else does put them on, let's assume they will and not say no to them then, cut us back now. Our cost difference 3Kw to 5Kw isn't a great deal but the benefit over time is.
The smart meter is designed for power fed back into the system and the SMA box has readings as well. So maybe that's the 'other' meter. It gives us access to daily and total power generated as well as current output. I imagine it has other features in it's little brain.
foxidrive
Retired Admin
Yes, it will be a good savings over time.
I hope to get solar one day in the future when it's cheaper, more efficient, lighter, smaller, more KW and then I'll save a few splonders.
Your Powercorp are being very lazy not upgrading their equipment...
That's the one.
misi
Growing Little Guru
Good thinking!I hope to get solar one day in the future when it's cheaper, more efficient, lighter, smaller, more KW and then I'll save a few splonders.
It's coming aaSoon, Foxi. (100-200 years?)
foxidrive
Retired Admin
Don't rush in. Try to get someone in the industry to help with inside info not only on pricing and rebates (if any). Currently the buzz word is RETs - Renewable Energy Target Scheme - forget the 66c and the 33c per Kw back into the grid, under the RETs we (us out here in the sticks) have STCs - Small-scale Technology Certificates.
So under the RETs we have STCs. Are you still with me? Cos I ain't...
Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme
The SRES creates a financial incentive for households, small businesses and community groups to install eligible small-scale renewable energy systems such as solar water heaters, heat pumps, solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, small-scale wind systems, or small-scale hydro systems. It does this by legislating demand for Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs). STCs are created for these systems at the time of installation, according to the amount of electricity they are expected to produce or displace in the future. For example, the SRES allows eligible solar PV systems to create, at the time of installation, STCs equivalent to 15 years of expected system output.
RET-liable entities with an obligation under the LRET also have a legal requirement under the SRES to buy STCs and surrender them to the Clean Energy Regulator on a quarterly basis.
While it is possible for owners of renewable energy systems to create and sell the STCs themselves, in practice, installers of these systems usually offer a discount on the price of an installation, or a cash payment, in return for the right to create the STCs.
RET scheme legislation
The legislation and regulations under which the RET scheme is administered are available via the following links:
Further amendments, made in 2010 to separate the scheme into large-scale and small-scale components, came into operation on 1 January 2011.
So under the RETs we have STCs. Are you still with me? Cos I ain't...
Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme
The SRES creates a financial incentive for households, small businesses and community groups to install eligible small-scale renewable energy systems such as solar water heaters, heat pumps, solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, small-scale wind systems, or small-scale hydro systems. It does this by legislating demand for Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs). STCs are created for these systems at the time of installation, according to the amount of electricity they are expected to produce or displace in the future. For example, the SRES allows eligible solar PV systems to create, at the time of installation, STCs equivalent to 15 years of expected system output.
RET-liable entities with an obligation under the LRET also have a legal requirement under the SRES to buy STCs and surrender them to the Clean Energy Regulator on a quarterly basis.
While it is possible for owners of renewable energy systems to create and sell the STCs themselves, in practice, installers of these systems usually offer a discount on the price of an installation, or a cash payment, in return for the right to create the STCs.
RET scheme legislation
The legislation and regulations under which the RET scheme is administered are available via the following links:
- Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000 (link is external)
- Renewable Energy (Electricity) (Small-scale Technology Shortfall Charge) Act 2010 (link is external)
- Renewable Energy (Electricity) (Charge) Act 2000 (link is external)
- Renewable Energy (Electricity) Regulations 2001 (link is external)
Further amendments, made in 2010 to separate the scheme into large-scale and small-scale components, came into operation on 1 January 2011.
misi
Growing Little Guru
Thank you for the information.
Still not thinking about installing it...
Still not thinking about installing it...
foxidrive
Retired Admin
So, as opposed to STD's you can sell the STCs and make some cash... is that right?
And the solar companies make a heap out of them - though you can get a savings on the installation if you let them have the little buggers.
I doubt that I'll look into getting solar panels anytime in the next 5 years and legislation WILL change...
It has in the Queens Land.
Those who were getting the 8c/kw FIT have had it scrapped by the LNP government.