Home Solar Panels/batteries.

stui magpie · Posted: Sat May 27, 2023 4:12 pm

Geezus, that's a lot of panels Shocked

Skids · Posted: Sun May 28, 2023 10:37 am

Vanadium is going to take over from Lithium in time. Why do we call them lithium batteries? Only 11% of the battery is lithium. They have more nickel, cobalt or manganese (depending on type) in them than lithium.

THE VANADIUM BATTERY DIFFERENCE
Vanadium flow batteries are ideal for powering homes with solar energy. Compared to lithium batteries, StorEn’s residential vanadium batteries are:

Able to discharge fully at 100% through the battery’s entire lifetime—there is no degradation of capacity

Durable, with an expected lifespan of 25 years or more

Low maintenance

Sustainable, as the vanadium electrolyte can be reused

Cost-effective

Non-flammable thanks to their water-based electrolyte

Non-explosive

Able to operate at low temperatures for both outdoor and indoor use

https://www.storen.tech/residential

https://www.storen.tech/30-kwh-vfb-battery

ASX company TMT is one of the potential miners of vanadium in WA I've taken a punt on Wink

Neighbour just installed a car charging point for their electric car (on its way) to their solar system. Couple across the road just purchased an electric car.
Gone from not seeing many around, to being surrounded by them.

Culprit · Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Location: Port Melbourne

With energy prices out of control thanks to glorious privatisation I put solar (6.6kw) on the house in July/August. The first bill just came in @ $101 Credit. The feed-in Tariff is 12 cents which is pretty good by today's offers. I have a bonus coming up and that will be a battery.

Waiting for two split systems to be installed. 8kw at the front of the house for the main living area and 2kw for the office and rear bedroom. Once that is done the gas central heating will be disconnected. The last bill was around $660.

Now the gas hot water is minimal as far as gas usage goes. I will wait to that dies before I head to a heat pump.

Gas Stove to Induction, well that cost can be around 6k if wiring needs done so that is another thing on hold.

Will I go an EV? No chance at the moment.

Kingsofclutch · Joined: 12 Oct 2023

Hydrogen? Hydrogen? Bueller?

think positive · Side By Side Joined: 30 Jun 2005 Location: somewhere

Culprit · Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Location: Port Melbourne

Sold my Territory and purchased a Hyundai Elantra and liked that so much that I purchased an N i30 Sedan at the beginning of Covid and I love it. Power and Fuel economy along with capped price servicing. Love the tech and safety features. My next car will be next year and I will see what's on the market.

Kingsofclutch · Joined: 12 Oct 2023

Culprit · Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Location: Port Melbourne

^^Great Deal, think of the savings.

stui magpie · Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2023 8:17 am

I'm going to have to look at my feed in tarrif. Latest bill I've bought 200kwh from the grid and sold 400kwh back to the grid from my solar system for a net result of I have a $35 bill.

Culprit · Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Location: Port Melbourne

Skids · Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2023 12:24 pm

Problem.with the feed in is that they recieve too much power (WA)from solar panels off peak. Why would they pay more for it.... bit like trying to put 100L in your 60L fuel tank.

Batteries are way too expensive and I think you'll find Culprit, won't have the capacity to run your A/C's at night, they are very limited, unless you spend circa $30k.

Having said that, I'm happy with my solar set up. Installed about 5 years ago and it's well and truly paid for itself. I recently enquired about adding a battery, but, as I said, there's very little benefit for the massive outlay, I'd need to live to about 150 to get anywhere near even.

Culprit · Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Location: Port Melbourne

New designs are coming through and at the moment it's approx. $1000 per kWh. Yes, that's too expensive, and in saying that it was $3000 per kWh.

stui magpie · Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2023 2:48 pm

So I just changed electricity plan, same provider.

I was getting a feed in tariff of 4.9c per KWH

I take a slight increase in the cost of the supply and in return I get a feed in tariff of 15c per KWH for the first 10 KWH per day. After that it goes back to 4.9c.

I didn't sit down with a calculator and work it out but considering I'm selling twice the amount back as what I'm using, getting more for what I'm selling should reduce the bill further. I'm basically not using any power from the grid in daylight hours anyway.

See how it works.

Culprit · Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Location: Port Melbourne

Sounds good. I have noticed plans increasing the feed-in tariffs. No doubt due to the amount of people who have switched to solar.

Bucks5 · Nicky D - Parting the red sea Joined: 23 Mar 2002

I taken the plunge and got 13.2kw system compromising of 30 panels plus a battery installed last Wednesday (Happy Valentine's day to me). There is only my wife and I at living here so it is a much bigger system than we need, but it is better to have more than you need rather than not enough, right?

My initial thoughts are that the system has exceeded my expectations as we are yet to use any power from the grid. Having the ability to monitor your electricity usage in real time is also an eye opener, who knew a electric kettle is such a power hogging device.

The thing I did not know is that our electricity distributor (PowerCorp) have set a maximum rate of 5kwh for feeding back into the grid for our area. If I had known that I would have went with a 10kw system instead. We did go bigger thinking we will pump more into the grid and save more but that was not to be.

It also takes Energy Australia up to 20 days to reconfigure your smart meter so you get credits for putting power back into the grid. This is done remotely (which is probably code for someone just needs to press a few buttons) so I am sure this is another tactic to milk a few dollars more out of us.