this post was submitted on 05 Nov 2025
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Australian households to get free electricity three hours a day (www.abc.net.au)
submitted 1 month ago by cuban_Pete@lemy.lol to c/australia@aussie.zone
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[–] Eyekaytee@aussie.zone 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

I don't get it

the power company can steal your power and charge you for the privilege

If you export power to the grid, you are paid for it

The whole reason to join a VPP, is so you get paid for exporting power during CRITICAL peak events

I know, because I have now been on 2 VPP's

One with Sonnen, where they paid me $15 a month for being on standby to charge or discharge during peak events and Globird ZeroHero:

ZEROLIMITS (Optional add-on): Take your earnings to the next level Get $1/kWh on exports during wholesale critical events, plus other critical event credits

https://www.globirdenergy.com.au/energy-saver/zerohero/

Nobody is signing up to a VPP to donate their power and get nothing for it

Also the government recently made it legal for power companies to charge you for your exports, which you need to be on a VPP for them to do

Where did you read this?

The charge for exports is for SOLAR during the MIDDLE of the DAY because there is TOO MUCH solar

Solar energy exports are reaching levels in some parts of the grid during the 10am – 3pm period that they are becoming difficult to manage and could potentially pose a threat to network stability. Export charges applied during this window will act as a signal to system owners to self-consume more of the energy they generate during this time.

https://www.solarquotes.com.au/blog/debunking-sun-tax-mb2941/

Here is the current wholesale cost of power at 11:35am QLD time

https://www.aemo.com.au/Energy-systems/Electricity/National-Electricity-Market-NEM/Data-NEM/Data-Dashboard-NEM

Notice that the price is negative

[–] FreedomAdvocate 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Sorry I’m out at the shops and wrangling the kids at the moment, so will do a full reply later.

Solar feed in charges: https://repositpower.com/blog/blog/the-solar-tax-has-arrived-now-what

What is happening now doesn’t matter, as it’s all going to radically change as the AEMO plan states that 60% of all grid storage is home battery storage, and that the power companies draw from this at will - and they’re not going to pay for it. Power companies are in the business of making money, and politicians are in their back pockets for those sweet lobbying dollars and post-politics executive jobs.

To make all this work they need everyone with smart meters, and solar and batteries. What they’re doing now is getting everyone to get them installed via incentives, so when everyone has them they can start stealing your power and charge you for it and there’s nothing you can do.

[–] Eyekaytee@aussie.zone 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Solar feed in charges:

yes as i said and from your own link

Solar export tariffs are designed to stop solar being exported to the grid when there is a lot of sunshine about. That means that solar panel owners should put in place things that soak up their solar generation.

there is currently too much cheap renewable power going to the grid during the day

the AEMO plan states that 60% of all grid storage is home battery storage, and that the power companies draw from this at will - and they’re not going to pay for it

no it doesn’t

The claim that "60% of all grid storage is home battery storage, and that power companies draw from this at will—and they’re not going to pay for it" is a significant oversimplification and, in some respects, a misrepresentation of AEMO’s plans and the current state of Australia’s energy market.

What AEMO actually says:

  • AEMO’s Integrated System Plan (ISP) does highlight the growing importance of distributed energy resources, including home batteries, as part of Australia’s future energy mix. The plan envisions a future where consumer energy resources (CER), such as rooftop solar and home batteries, play a major role in supporting the grid, especially as coal plants retire and renewable energy capacity expands. By 2050, AEMO expects a massive increase in both rooftop solar and battery storage, with home batteries potentially helping to avoid billions in grid investment costs—if they are "well coordinated" .
  • The key here is "well coordinated." AEMO and the energy market are exploring ways to integrate home batteries into the grid through mechanisms like Virtual Power Plants (VPPs), where households can choose to participate and may receive incentives or payments for allowing their batteries to be used to support the grid during peak times. Participation is voluntary, and households are not forced to give up control of their batteries without compensation .
  • There is no current policy or plan that allows power companies to unilaterally "draw from" home batteries without the owner’s consent or compensation. Any use of home batteries for grid support would typically be part of a formal agreement, such as a VPP program, where participants are compensated for their contribution
[–] FreedomAdvocate 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

VPPs mate lol. It says that at the end there. When everyone has a smart meter and the only plans available are VPP ones, what do you think the power companies will do with the legislation that allows them to draw all your power from your battery and charge you for it?

[–] Eyekaytee@aussie.zone 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

When everyone has a smart meter and the only plans available are VPP ones

Who says there will be only VPP ones? And you're saying all 10 million households will have a home battery?

[–] FreedomAdvocate 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

AEMO and the power companies will make sure of it. People without batteries will pay absurd amounts for power, and those with batteries will pay slightly less than absurd prices.

[–] Eyekaytee@aussie.zone 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

why would people with solar and battery pay absurd prices instead of just disconnecting from the grid?

[–] FreedomAdvocate 1 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Because disconnecting from the grid won’t be an option, legally. Not to mention that having enough solar and batteries to go completely off grid would require most households to take out a second mortgage to pay for it.

[–] Eyekaytee@aussie.zone 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

having enough solar and batteries to go completely off grid would require most households to take out a second mortgage to pay for it.

there are loads of people living off grid up in tara

i have a 6.6kw solar system and 10kw battery (and a smart meter 😧!) and im already 90% off the grid, in 20 years time we may have 40kw solar panels for the same cost as 6.6kw today and 100kw batteries

Because disconnecting from the grid won’t be an option, legally.

sorry are you talking about reality or is this an elaborate blade runner style dystopian fantasy novel you’re writing?

[–] FreedomAdvocate 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Cool, so you’re not off grid. That last 10% is the hardest part, the most expensive part. The part that stops people from ever being able to be off grid.

The price of solar panels and batteries will only go up as we stupidly base our entire grid, life, and economy around them, especially since we aren’t manufacturing them here.

The government will absolutely make it mandatory to be connected to the grid because that’s the only way their desired grid will function.

[–] Eyekaytee@aussie.zone 1 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Cool, so you’re not off grid. That last 10% is the hardest part, the most expensive part. The part that stops people from ever being able to be off grid.

Stop talking shit mate LOL! it's because I bought my battery in 2022 for 16k, today I can buy a 40kw battery for 6k:

PLUS • Standard Price: $5,999 • OzBargain: $5,899 (Single-phase 10kW, 4 MPPTs + 41.93kWh Battery)

https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/925016

I also saw recently 50kw storage:

[NSW, VIC, QLD] 53.2KWH Solis Storage (Alpha Battery)& 8KW Single Phase Solis Inverter $6399 Installed @ Hybrid Solar

https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/935342

You know how prices have rapidly come down for solar and batteries? and generation and storage capacities have gone up? I'm making the crazy prediction that this trend will continue... crazy I know!

This is in 2025, do you seriously believe in 2030 or 2040 we'll be back to 10kw storage again? that there will be no gains in solar panels for the next 30 years?

The price of solar panels and batteries will only go up

🤦‍♂️ The fuck is this? Are you trolling me?

Anyway I'm done with this conversation, I'm not interested in educating you further. good day sir.

especially since we aren’t manufacturing them here.

Shout out to https://tindosolar.com.au/ Solar panels made in Adelaide and https://redearth.energy/ Batteries made in Brisbane and https://www.evos.com.au/ EV chargers made in Brisbane

[–] FreedomAdvocate 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Anyone buying those 40-50kwh batteries for $5k and expecting them to actually get installed and not be absolutely crap fakes, well I’ve got a bridge to sell you. Both those deals are dodgy as fuck mate lol.

Prices haven’t come down for batteries or solar, not the actual price to consumers. A Tesla solar wall costs more today than they did when they first came out. Cost to produce is not the same as price to customers.

You’re kidding if you think battery prices are going to hit dirt cheap when the entire country literally depends on them because our stupid government are corrupt and incompetent.

[–] Eyekaytee@aussie.zone 0 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

A Tesla solar wall costs more today

Of course you want a Muskwall

I bet he's your hero, so many Americans living in Australia these days :(

In other news just got my latest electricity bill:

BRB just plugging in my car to charge it up using solar for free

Love not paying for electricity or gas or petrol