7.30 report – Consumers defecting from the grid with solar panels and battery storage
ABC’s 7.30 program featured a report on Wednesday looking at the changing face of Australia’s energy profile. A home-owner that has installed solar panels and a battery bank for off-grid usage was interviewed, along with a number of energy experts discussing the rising cost of electricity and our over-investment in unnecessary network infrastructure.
David Leitch – Financial Analyst, UBS
Like the telecommunications industry and print media, the electricity industry is at risk of finding it’s business model is no longer relevant. Australia’s electricity consumption has fallen 13% in the last three to four years.
Costs associated with battery storage have fallen sharply and consumers are far more aware of energy efficiency when purchasing appliances like TVs and refrigerators with efficiency a main factor when purchasing a new appliance, second only to price.
Matthew Warren – Electricity Suppliers Association of Victoria
The relationship between economic growth and energy usage has been broken in Australia as well as the United States and throughout Europe. Previously solar panels were an expensive, boutique investment and increasing affordability was difficult for forsee.
Currently, electric cars like the Tesla and their associated battery technology could reach a critical mass with consumers making battery storage a big part of the next energy revolution.
Greg Houston – Houston Kemp Consultants
Energy predictions rose while our consumption fell year after year between 2006 and today. Solar penetration has gone from virtually nothing to eight percent of installed capacity in just the last four years.
As the price of electricity rises, consumers look for alternatives to take control of their costs by adopting technologies like energy efficient appliances, solar PV panels, batteries and so on. This is a once in a generation shift, there has been nothing like it in the last fifty years.
Dr Muriel Watt – Australian Solar Insititute
South Australia has achieved 25% penetration of solar panels, and Queensland has achieved 20% penetration despite tariffs and subsidies being removed.
During the same time, energy companies have recently $50 million upgrading the existing poles and wires on the grid, and establishing new power generators that may end up becoming stranded assets. Consumers funds these upgrades through higher electricity prices.
Mark Daniels – Solar panel and battery storage owner
Installing a 4.4kW solar panel system gives Mark enough power for his family home in Sydney’s West complete with pool and mod-cons. Unused electricity from the solar panels is stored in his battery bank that allows his solar power to be utilised at night.
Currently his utility bill is absolutely zero, and he is only one more battery bank away from going completely off-grid, which he plans to do in the next six months. To date he has invested only $12,000 to become self-sufficient.
For a full transcript of 7.30’s report, or the watch the video online visit the ABC’s 7.30 website.
