Yesterday we received our electricity bill for the two month period Nov-Dec. This is the first bill we have received for the full period since having the home battery installed. I was interested to see how the new battery and solar array had changed our bill.
We have been exporting surplus electricity from the solar panels to the Grid. It’s capped at 1.5kW, however we could send more. The solar array and battery supplies all our daily electricity. Most mornings I check the battery state of charge finding it between 68-75%. The battery is then fully recharged between 10AM and midday.
Looking at the solar export data from the energy supplier website for the period we appear to be exporting approximately 10kWh daily.
This is half of what we were exporting before the battery was installed. Obviously being capped at 1.5kW is having an effect. For the previous period (Sep-Oct) we exported 1000kWh and received a rebate of $73.82.
For this recent period where we were capped we exported 594kWh and received $0. They take our electricity and pay us zero.
Throughout the billing period we have been exclusively using electricity directly from our solar array or our home battery. It was therefore interesting to see on the latest bill we had been charged for electricity taken from the Grid.
10.635kWh over 63 days costing $3.13 or $0.17 daily.
Something doesn’t add up here!
I have deduced two potential conclusions.
1. The utility company has surplus solar energy and no means to store it so whilst they will accept our exported electricity they won’t pay for it. No doubt they sell it to our neighbour who doesn’t have solar panels.
2. We aren’t using any electricity from the Grid but we are paying for the Grid electricity that powers the utility company’s meter on our home power board.
MY ACTION
Within the phone App of our Sigenergy battery system is the ability to “go off grid”. That is; disconnect us from the Grid and exclusively power the house from the solar panels and battery. It will be interesting to see what appears on the next utility bill.
2 comments :
During the early morning, when you are charging the battery, do you set the system to prefer export? That is to export up to 1.5kW then put the surplus into the battery. That is likely to make the battery slower to charge but ensures you hit the 1.5kW limit for as much of the day as possible.
No I don't Paul! There are two reasons for not doing that. 1. The utility company charges $.028KWh for supplying power and $0.07kWh for power exported to the grid. I want to understand what is the maximum daily consumption from the battery. Therefore my priority is to recharge the battery before exporting to the Grid. That is; don't export at $0.07 only to have to purchase in the evening at $0.27.
2. With the arrival of the recent utility bill I have identified we are receiving nothing for the kWh's we export. Some research has revealed the govt utility has decided it will not pay for exported electricity when the home inverter has a capacity of 10kW or higher.
I've now gone into the home solar system App and found the setting which enables you to go "Off Grid". I'm now waiting for the next utility bill to see if we exported nothing AND we didn't import any power from the Grid. My instincts tell me we will have exported nothing but they will still be charging us for importing from the Grid. That will be my next fight!
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