The Future is Battery Storage

Australians have embraced energy efficiency and over the last few years. Almost 2 million homes have had solar power installed on their roof top, but now the industry and the Government are looking at ways to make solar power and our homes even more efficient, saving the investor money and helping to reduce residential emissions.

The energy sector is headed for a revolution and it will begin with the introduction of battery storage to Australian homes. These systems will be synchronised with existing solar systems, if unsuitable for solar it will connect to your energy meter and offset peak power consumption. This will transform the way we use energy in our homes, just as solar has. We will be able to store energy produced by our solar systems and use it in the evening, saving money by reducing the peak energy costs. 

Energy companies are already seeing the potential with Energy Australia and SPAusnet all with pilots in their networks. Aussie Solar’s TM5000 Battery Storage system has an extra feature which switches over and uses battery power during a blackout.

Making your home more energy efficient does make a huge difference, you will be saving money, you will be investing in a smarter way to utilise your solar power and the power you buy from the network will be reduced. You’re protected in a blackout and you will have power to selected appliances. Let’s not forget that your decision does impact on the environment by minimising your reliance on the network.

For more information about solar power and battery storage, visit our website.

Is Our Environment in the “Too Hard Basket”

When I was at school I learnt all about the environment, I tried my best to save the world from the harsh effects of the hole in the ozone layer, I was the proudest kid to be part of our school “Earth Keepers” program. This was 1987, before recycling bins, before “Clean Up Australia Day”, before “Climate Change”. We all changed our behaviours to “do the right thing”.

Fast forward to 2002 and the Environmental movement was stronger than ever, we have learnt about Climate Change, we started yet again to change our behaviours and over the next decade changed our homes accordingly. We became energy efficient, installed low energy lights, solar panels, solar hot water, fuel efficient cars, dug a vegetable patch and reduced our water usage.

In the last three years there has been little in the movement, nothing has progressed, no new solutions. Where has the leadership gone? Where are the people giving us advice on what we can do to make our environment a better place? In my opinion the next solution is Battery Storage, but there has been no information in main stream media.

According to the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) we should be aiming for a carbon neutral planet by 2050. It has taken 27 years to get this far, are we able to take our energy efficiency to the next level?

I know as a country we can, we just need the right leadership and information to make the changes required and step by step we will make this planet better.

For more information on the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) report, click here to read the press release. 

Amber Ferguson

Why All Homes With Solar Will Consider Battery Storage

There are currently close to two million homes in Australia with solar power. We are all saving money, especially thanks to the generous state feed in tarrifs. What happens when the Feed in Tarrifs end, what about  solar customers on a net meter?

We will all be exploring the Battery Storage option.

Let me break it down,

With solar on a NET meter arrangement if you do not use the solar power during the day you will be exporting solar power to the network, this is throwing your money away. Example; if your at work and your home doesn’t consume the solar power to offset your bill then you send the solar power to the grid, the network (Endeavour, Essential or Asugrid) will pay you approx 0.08c per Kw Hr, but when your home and you use power from the grid in peak time the network will charge you anything from 0.25-0.44c per kw hr.
All customers that are currently on a gross meter arrangement and collecting the 0.60c will also need to change their meter to a NET meter in Jan 2017 when the NSW gross Feed in Tarrif expires.

Our advice to customer who have a gross metered solar system is, install a TM5000 with an additional 1.5kW Solar System on a NET Meter feeding solar power into the batteries. And your gross solar will be unaffected.

Or

Net solar customers can install the TM5000 and feed into the batteries. An additional Solar System can also be installed if more solar power is required.

Battery Storage has many benefits

• Storing and using your solar power onsite
• Blackout protection for selected circuits
• Load sharing during peak periods
• Advanced tariff management
• 7 pre-set modes for simple installation
• Generator input and start control
• 5kW, 10kW and 15kW storage systems available

The solar consumer is very much in control of their power, no longer reliant on the grid the possabilty of becoming independant from the grid is very real. Should the power companies start shaking in their boots? I wouldn’t imagine we could ever shake them up, but they too are looking at storage solutions to help regulate and protect their networks. SP Ausnet in Victoria & Ausgrid in NSW all with their own pilots on how storage can assist their networks indictes that we are all moving in the same direction.
Aussie Solar Installations have been installing the TM5000 Battery Storage system in  NSW and we are seeing many enquiries from all states. We would say at least 30% of our enquiries are regarding the battery storage solution and over the next 12 months this will become 50% of our business.

Customers who are looking to control their own energy should be investigating the TM5000.
For more product information go to our web site  

http://www.aussiesolar.com.au/tariff-management.html


Written by Aussie Solar Installation

Aussie Solar Battery Storage System TM5000

Aussie Solar Installations has started to install the new TM5000 Battery Storage System. This is an amazing system developed by one of our Directors (Cameron Ferguson), it was designed some time ago, but has been years in perfecting the system ready for the Australian Market.
The Aussie Solar Tariff Management System (TM5000) has many benefits for residential properties in Australia.

• Storing the renewable energy provided by your solar system.
• Drawing energy from the grid at off peak and storing the energy in the battery pack ready to discharge at the peak time saving your household $.
• Providing power during a blackout.
• Generator input and start up control
• 5kW, 10kW & 15kW Storage systems available.

Why should you consider a battery storage system?

Well, the simple answer is if you are on a NET system your solar power will be stored and used when your home, rather than being sent into the network for little return.

What if I'm on a Gross metering arrangement?
You can still get the battery storage system, your gross solar system will remain the same and feed directly into the network and you wil continue to get the gross feed in tarrif. the battery storage will benefit you by, drawing from the network at off peak and discharging at peak and providing power during a power failure.

You can also have a 2nd solar system installed seperate to your original system, and have the new system connected on a Net metering arrangement, and this sytem will be used to charge the batteries.

What happens to the solar power once the batteries are full?
If the batteries are charged by solar power, once they are full the switch box will divert the energy made by the solar system into the home, if the home does not consume the solar power it will be exported to the network and hopefully your are credited for the power exported (depending on your network).

Do you need to have solar on the roof to have a battery system?
No you don’t, anyone can have a battery storage system. If you do not have solar it means that your system will be programmed to take advantage of off peak times and black out protection. You can have solar installed and connected the system later down the track if you decide to. In some cases you may not be able to have solar installed because you live in a strata arrangement, and battery storage is a better option for you.

How does the TM5000 work in a black out?
On installation you will need to make some decisions on what you think you need to run during a blackout. Such as particular circuits within the home that have, lights, power points (such as the fridge power point). We then will need to discuss with you if there will be extra electrical work for splitting or changing your current circuits in the meter board. We can only protect a limited number of circuits depending on the loads that are currently on circuits, this will depend on the house and meter board set up. For example, most houses will choose their fridge, a couple of lights, TV and selected power points. The less load on the circuits the longer your will have power.

If your blackout from the network goes into the next day, when your solar system starts up the power generated will be stored in that batteries as you continue to draw from the battery.

You also have the cabability of having a generator plugged into the batteries if the power outage is prolonged and your needing to produce more energy.

Who can have the battery storage system?
Anyone can have the battery storage system. You can live in any type of home, flat or town house. If you move home, you can take it with you and have it re-installed when you move. Similar to an air conditioner, you can take it or you can leave it.

Do you need to have network approval?
Once you have decided to go ahead with a TM5000 battery storage system, we will process an application to your network provider; once the system is approved and installed we will then notify your provider that the system has been installed.

Making your home more energy efficient does make a huge difference, you will be saving money, you will be investing in a smarter way to utilise your solar power & power you buy from the network will be reduced. Your protected in a blackout and you will have power to selected appliances. Lets not forget that your decision does impact on the environment by minimising your reliance on the network.

To view our gallery of installations visit our Facebook page. For downloads of our product visit our website.

For up to date information please contact us directly.

Written by Aussie Solar Installations

Solar System Upgrades in NSW

Installing additional solar panels is easy with Aussie Solar - even with the 60c FIT.

Increase your productivity and install additional panels to your property. We can install an additional solar system that will not compromise your gross feed in tariff and increase the benefits of solar power to your bottom line.

There are several combinations an upgrade can take place; you may be on the 60c Gross FIT, 20c Gross FIT or on a Net meter with no export tariff. Each option has different limitations set around the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme legislation. In the table below we have shown the combinations.

If you are a recipient of the 0.60c Gross Feed In Tariff from the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme your options are:

Option 1 - Install an additional solar power system separate from the original solar system, and it would be connected to a NET meter. This is the ideal solution - you would not concede your gross FIT. You would receive the 60c Gross FIT for the original system for the remainder of the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme due to expire 31st December 2016.

OR

Option 2 - Install additional solar panels to the existing solar system; have this upgrade connected to your existing Gross Meter. In this circumstance your 0.60c Gross FIT would be reduced to 0.20c Gross fit for the remainder of the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme due to expire on the 31st December 2016. You are allowed to install a maximum of 10kW under the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme.

If you are a recipient of the 0.20c Gross Feed In Tariff from the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme your options are:

Option 1 - Install an additional solar power system separate from the original solar system, and it would be connected to a NET meter. You would continue to receive the 0.20c Gross FIT for the original system for the remainder of the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme due to expire 31st December 2016.

Option 2 - Install additional solar panels to the existing solar system; have this upgrade connected to your existing Gross Meter. In this circumstance you would continue to receive 0.20c Gross fit for the remainder of the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme for the entire system size connected to the Gross FIT due to expire on the 31st December 2016. You are allowed to install a maximum of 10kW under the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme.

If you are currently NET metered your options are:

Simply install an additional system to your property and have the system connected to your existing NET meter.

Contact us today for more information on 1300 794 110 or info@aussiesolar.com.au

How Does Grid Connected Solar Power Work?

Solar panels convert energy from the sun into electricity. The electricity produced from the solar panels is direct current (DC). Most homes in Australia are connected to the electricity grid which uses alternating current (AC). In order to use the power produced from the solar panels an inverter is required to transform the DC electricity into AC electricity which is suitable for household appliances.

Once the electricity is transformed from DC to AC, the electricity produced from your solar power system is used to power your home first via a NET meter, before any excess power is exported back to the electricity grid.

How NET Metering Works
Power generated by your solar system is consumed in your house first and any excess is then fed into the grid. This excess power is sent back to the grid at a rate determined by your electricity retailer which may be your electricity bill*. Any excess power produced. A NET meter is required for every new installation to measure the excess power.

 *Contact your electricity retailer for up to date information regarding tariffs.

About Aussie Solar Installations

Aussie Solar is an Australian owned and operated company dedicated to supplying renewable energy solutions. Established in 2002, we initially began installing remote (standalone) solar power systems and solar water pumps. As rebates improved and demand increased, we moved into grid connected solar power systems and focused on making solar power an affordable and accessible option for Australian households.

Today we have installed over 7,500 solar power systems throughout NSW. We pride ourselves on the exceptional service we provide and the range of quality products we have to offer. In fact we’ve always backed ourselves and our products - being the first solar company in Australia to have solar panels independently insured for their efficiency over 25 years.

All Aussie Solar installers are trained to deliver to the most stringent Australian and International Standards and have a wealth of experience in the design and installation of grid connected solar power systems.

Aussie Solar is a member of the Clean Energy Council and is well respected within the industry. We have earned a reputation for reliability and professionalism. But don’t take our word for it; see what our customers have to say.

Aussie Solar is a division of Carbon Management Solutions (CMS). CMS is an Australian owned and operated wholesaler of quality solar power products.

Aussie Solar – completing the Aussie Dream.