Electricity bill up 22%

[farmerge]

We tend to think of electricity charges in connection with home use. However, for business the usage charge per kWh is higher and impacts across the board. I was chatting with the practice manager of a medical clinic and their electricity costs, along with other cost increases such as indemnity insurance and staff salaries, is definitely having an impact on the bottom line. You cannot operate a viable business at a loss and the overall consultation fees have had to be increased. Have to make a $$ or two in order to eat.

I suspect it also has an adverse effect especially on all small businesses.

Basic plan prices for business. I assume there is some room for negotiation but I don't actually know if that is the case.

View attachment 160823

Thankfully my farming enterprise is now covered by the roof panels for a good part of the day thus reducing the overll bill to mainly night on grid useage.
Came across a newish system locally just installed in the pliot stage using a magntic flywheel for off grid, Makes batteries appear to belong to yesteryear.

 

[Smurf1976]

We tend to think of electricity charges in connection with home use. However, for business the usage charge per kWh is higher and impacts across the board. I was chatting with the practice manager of a medical clinic and their electricity costs, along with other cost increases such as indemnity insurance and staff salaries, is definitely having an impact on the bottom line. You cannot operate a viable business at a loss and the overall consultation fees have had to be increased. Have to make a $$ or two in order to eat.

A point I've made to many is that issues of energy pricing mostly aren't about your bills at home.

Residential use as % of total state consumption as follows. Figures rounded to nearest 1% except those below 10% rounded to nearest 0.1%

Residential electricity as a % of total state consumption:
NSW = 30%
SA = 30%
Victoria = 30%
Queensland = 23%
Tasmania = 19%
NT = 16%
WA = 13%

Residential natural gas as a % of total state consumption:
Victoria = 45%
NSW = 26%
SA = 8.1%
Tasmania = 5.5%
Queensland = 1.5%
WA = 1.5%
NT = zero

It's much the same with oil. Most think of petrol used in private cars but if we consider business vehicles, trucks, buses, trains, aircraft, ships, military, mining, farm machinery, manufacturing etc plus the non-fuel uses such as petrochemicals, plastics, lubricants, bitumen well all up that's a huge portion of the total.

For all of this, if energy price or availability changes the consequences mostly aren't about household consumption or private use. It's not your electricity bill going up that's the problem, it's losing your job that's the problem.

 

[sptrawler]

That's is interesting @Smurf1976 , the States that produce the the least, have the highest consumer demand on energy, who would have thought.

 

[farmerge]

That's is interesting @Smurf1976 , the States that produce the the least, have the highest consumer demand on energy, who would have thought.

And cry poor the loudest wanting our GST to boot.

 

[Belli]

A testing time.

The first PV inverter I have was installed five years ago (approx). Received a notice from the electricity network it is now due for testing. No objection as it is a safety matter. I suppose it is within my remit to grumble I actually have to fork out money for this. So here goes.

It's outrageous considering I've paid taxes all my working life!

 

[IFocus]

A testing time.

The first PV inverter I have was installed five years ago (approx). Received a notice from the electricity network it is now due for testing. No objection as it is a safety matter. I suppose it is within my remit to grumble I actually have to fork out money for this. So here goes.

It's outrageous considering I've paid taxes all my working life!

Hopefully they check how tight the terminations are

 

[Ferret]

The first PV inverter I have was installed five years ago (approx). Received a notice from the electricity network it is now due for testing. No objection as it is a safety matter.

Interesting. What state are you in Belli?

I'm in NSW. My 2 kW system is now 13 years old and I've never heard of any testing requirement.

 

[farmerge]

Interesting. What state are you in Belli?

I'm in NSW. My 2 kW system is now 13 years old and I've never heard of any testing requirement.

We have an 8.6 kw system that is just over 10 years old and also never had or been informed that it needs testing.
Perhaps revenue raising comes to mind with @Belli's post.

 

[Smurf1976]

I'm in NSW. My 2 kW system is now 13 years old and I've never heard of any testing requirement.

Only place I'm aware of that requires it is the ACT.

Happy to be corrected there if anywhere else has introduced such a requirement?

 

[Belli]

I live in the ACT as @Smurf1976 implied.

I don't consider the requirement for regular testing to be a burden or an imposition. The cost over five years is miniscule in comparison with the cost of installing the things.

The humorous aspect to me is I have two separate systems which were installed at different times Yep, in a couple of years time, the second system will need to be tested. And, no, you cannot test both at the same time. I've checked just to make sure.

Any electrician who holds a relevant accreditation can do the task but I chose the installer.

Just for info, this is a screen shot of part of my latest electricity bill. Get's cold in Canberra over the Winter months!

I could adjust down the payments I currently make but I use them to build up credit for Winter consumption.

 

[Belli]

Just for info, this is a screen shot of part of my latest electricity bill. Get's cold in Canberra over the Winter months!

I'll point out as can be seen, the majority of the cost in my latest bill was due to electricity consumption over August and September. Overall the $105.98 is $1.15 per day for the period which I don't consider is a financial hardship.

 

[sptrawler]

I'll point out as can be seen, the majority of the cost in my latest bill was due to electricity consumption over August and September. Overall the $105.98 is $1.15 per day for the period which I don't consider is a financial hardship.

That will be great reference info, if at a later date they move the goal posts.

 

[Smurf1976]

Just for info, this is a screen shot of part of my latest electricity bill.

I must say whichever retailer that is, they're doing a pretty good job there with the information provided. That's next level compared to what many are giving their customers.

Some are simply baffling consumers with multiple lines of text. One I saw recently gave 15 separate figures in kWh and that was it. It was up to the consumer to work out that they needed to split those into 5 groups then add them up within each group if they wanted to know where their electricity and money are going. A classic case of the information being provided but not in a form the average consumer would understand.

 

[macca]

I live in the ACT as @Smurf1976 implied.

I don't consider the requirement for regular testing to be a burden or an imposition. The cost over five years is miniscule in comparison with the cost of installing the things.

The humorous aspect to me is I have two separate systems which were installed at different times Yep, in a couple of years time, the second system will need to be tested. And, no, you cannot test both at the same time. I've checked just to make sure.

Any electrician who holds a relevant accreditation can do the task but I chose the installer.

Just for info, this is a screen shot of part of my latest electricity bill. Get's cold in Canberra over the Winter months!


View attachment 166924

View attachment 166925

I could adjust down the payments I currently make but I use them to build up credit for Winter consumption.

Who are you with Belli ?

 

[Belli]

I must say whichever retailer that is, they're doing a pretty good job there with the information provided.

Who are you with Belli ?

ActewAGL. Act electricity and water merged its operations with AGL many moons ago.

If you want a laugh here is how much I could save (?) by changing plans. Thing is I believe such calculations do not take account of any solar feed-in and the contract is for only one year. I've no wish to stuff around each and every year trying to save that. I mean really? $34 per month to then spend it on what exactly?

Keep in mind the provider reviews any payments I make every six months so the amount I presently pay could easily drop by $20, $30, $40 or whatever each month - or it could rise.

 

[Smurf1976]

If you want a laugh here is how much I could save (?) by changing plans.

Due to new regulations they're obliged to tell you if they offer a cheaper plan.

I haven't heard of anyone being told they could save something really trivial such as 1 cent a year yet, but in theory the retailer is obliged to tell the customer if that's the case.

 

[Belli]

Still building up credit for Winter. I note my usage works out at and average of $1.18 per day from the grid.

 

[Belli]

Darn electricity provider. It has recalculated my monthly payment and reduced it considerably. Logged in to see if I could adjust it and the amount required to be paid monthly according to their system is blank. Seems the amount they are going to take is the minimum to make a direct debit worthwhile or valid.

 

[basilio]

Still building up credit for Winter. I note my usage works out at and average of $1.18 per day from the grid.

View attachment 170580

That's an interesting bill and Tariff. I havn't been aware of Demand Tariffs for home. I my previous experience Demad Tariffs were used with big commercial operations.

Just wondering if you had a battery with your solar set up and if it was capable (or already) of shaving some of the peak demand curves ?

 

[Belli]

That's an interesting bill and Tariff. I havn't been aware of Demand Tariffs for home. I my previous experience Demad Tariffs were used with big commercial operations.

Just wondering if you had a battery with your solar set up and if it was capable (or already) of shaving some of the peak demand curves ?

Here is the link to this provider. Peruse "For home" to see available plans.

I don't have batteries. Not worth it. I met with the installer of my solar systems who advised Sure we can sell you a battery or two but, based on the annual electricity consumption over a few years, the break even point will be after the batteries need replacing. Spend your money on something else.