Search Results for: queensland

Cyclone Alfred: What To Do With Your Solar And Battery

As everyone will be aware, Cyclone Alfred is bearing down on some pretty populated parts of Queensland and New South Wales. Solar installers have been posting useful links, so without adding to the information overload we’d like to put a few of the best tips we’ve found together.

[Read more…]

Living With Low (Or Even Zero) Solar Feed-In Tariffs

Solar feed-in tariff rates

Minimum solar feed-in tariff rates (such as they are) have been set for what could be the last time in Victoria. But smart solar ownership will still bring significant financial and other benefits; and this applies across Australia where rates have been reducing. [Read more…]

Community Energy Upgrades Fund Recipients Announced

Community Energy Upgrade Fund grants - Round 1

58 local governments across Australia have shared in $50 million in federal grants for projects improving the energy efficiency of community buildings and infrastructure through solar, batteries and electrification. [Read more…]

GloBird Zerohero: Finally, A VPP That Lets You Control Your Battery

A graphic depicting a solar panel and a battery and piles of money

Image: GloBird

Update 24th Feb 2025:  I mistakenly wrote that the Globird Zerohero VPP allows a household to use up to 0.3kWh of grid electricity during the two hour Zerohero peak and still receive a $1 credit.  But the actual figure GloBird gives is 0.03kWh per hour.  This makes for a total of 0.06kWh over the two hour period.  This figure is low and has the potential to make it difficult for battery households to claim the $1 credit because it’s normal for battery households to still draw a small amount of power from the grid even if they never exceed their battery’s continuous power output.  I called GloBird but wasn’t able to talk to anyone who knew details about the VPP.  I have sent them an email and, hopefully, they will respond to it.  Until I get clarification from Glowbird, I can’t recommend using their Zerohero VPP as it may be difficult for households to take advantage of one of its major benefits.

Update 3rd March 2025:  GloBird have responded and said, for the batteries they have tested, households are able to get through the two hour Zerohero evening peak without exceeding the 0.03kWh per hour grid electricity consumption limit, so are able to receive the $1 credit.   They also sent some bill information on four households showing this.  However, this information was all from summer when small amounts of solar generation during the peak period could have helped the households avoid the 0.03kWh per hour limit.  Until we receive information showing homes can receive the $1 Zerohero credit outside of summer, I recommend assuming you won’t get it any time your solar system isn’t producing a small amount of energy during the second half of the Zerohero evening peak.  I have placed the bill information at the end of the post.

I’ve looked into the pros and cons of a range of Virtual Power Plants, and so far, I haven’t been impressed.  But GloBird Energy’s Zerohero VPP stands out as the best of a bad bunch.  Rather than providing inadequately meagre payments — so long as you have a suitable battery and electricity consumption patterns — its payments have the potential to be adequately meagre.

[Read more…]

Smart Meter Upgrades: Know Your Rights

Smart meter upgrades in Australia - Consumer rights.

If you wish to upgrade to a smart meter, or if your electricity retailer wants to upgrade your current meter to a smart device, here’s what you need to know. [Read more…]

Bowen Pledges Not To Meddle With Power Price News

Electricity prices: Default Market Offer (DMO) 2025/26

Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen has said that unlike the previous Morrison Government in the lead-up to the last election, he won’t be interfering with the timing of electricity Default Market Offer (DMO) announcements for 2025/26. [Read more…]

LNP Pushed On Promised Solar Scheme, New Battery Subsidies

Supercharged Solar for Renters - Queensland

The Queensland Conservation Council is urging the new-ish QLD government to make good on a commitment to providing solar subsidies for rental properties –  and to reintroduce a battery subsidy. [Read more…]

Solar PV: Australia Vs. Germany In 2024

Solar power in Australia and Germany

Solar energy covered around 14 percent of electricity consumption in Germany last year, up from 12 percent in 2023. How does that compare to Australia? [Read more…]

Australian Rooftop Solar’s Contribution In 2024 Hits New Record

Australian rooftop solar in 2024

How much did rooftop solar power exports contribute towards mains grid consumption in Australia’s National Electricity Market (NEM) in 2024? Take a guess and then see the answer. [Read more…]

Loyal To Your Electricity Retailer? It Might Be Costing You Big

Australian electricity bills and the loyalty tax

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) estimates more than 80% of National Electricity Market (NEM) households are paying more for electricity than they need to. [Read more…]

Get the latest solar, battery and EV charger news straight to your inbox every Tuesday