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29 comments on Big boost for solar rebates in South Australia
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It would be easier and cheaper to put circuit specific regulators directly on the AC power board. For example restricting water heating to 1kwh a day (say 20L heated by 30C). If that's not enough the customer has to fork for extra gas, solar or woodfired water heating.
This may also require that power co's no longer maximise revenue but 'help' the customer.
Are you unhappy with your solar installation?
It's just that rather than recommend this for other people, your other posts instead recommend the heart lung transplant solution of nuclear.
I suggested my intermediate solar solution as the system would be smaller and more manageable for the novice and would not require an inverter, being purely for lighting. If it was either subsidised or mandated, the extra demand for solar panels should up manufacturing and thru competition reduce the unit costs (if free market theory works).
Then depending on how the future pans out, we have more flexibility in our options. As I said other low power devices could also eventually link into this. At least homes would still have lights in the event of brownouts...
Combined with vacuum tube solar hot water collectors these two ideas could substantially reduce household energy in the two areas that solar is well suited... heat and low power electricity.
At this stage of the game, I don't see that a complete house PV conversion is the way to go for the general population. Its expensive and has a steep learning curve.
Shouldn't your fire pump be liquid fuel powered anyway?
I do indeed have a petrol fire pump but on the theme of electrical woes it has a crook ignition coil I must replace.
In truth my rooftop PV has been amazingly trouble free it's just the constant self discipline required to stay within a daily target of say 6-8kwh.
Visitors: Let's have grilled sandwiches!
Me: You're getting microwaved pasta.
I'm not sure household batteries are there yet. I do have a deep cycle lead acid battery in a garden shed with a regulated PV panel on its roof. That drives a 12v pump in a dam near the vegie patch. Also problem free til the dam dries up. Dunno if I'd want the house lights powered that way though. Prefer AC inverted from a powerful battery bank when the technology improves.