Solar energy, and how to store it, is the talk of Jon Coffey’s neighbourhood.
Walking around Thornlands, south-east of Brisbane, he sees rooftop solar on more than half of the roofs.
“When I’m talking to my neighbours and friends, they are also increasingly frustrated, angry even, about what they see as a lack of action to help them manage electricity prices to their betterment,” he said.
“The power bill just keeps going up.”
Mr Coffey wants to install a battery system so he can store the solar power output when he’s “not at home in the middle of the day”.
“Put it into a battery, then draw down on that in the evening hours when I’m there and my wife’s there, and we can use that to make some real savings.”
But Mr Coffey said he is “looking at nearly $20,000” to buy and install a battery at his place, and believes the government should step in to help.
According to consumer group Choice, batteries cost between $6,500 and $16,000, depending on size and make.
More than a million rooftop solar systems in the sunshine state
Last year, AEMO CEO Daniel Westermen said the 3.5 million rooftop solar systems across Australia — surging when the sun shines and dropping off when it sets — could pose risks to grid stability.
The midday surge also threatens to overwhelm low-voltage wire networks.
“I am just so annoyed that the government is not willing to help me do this,” Mr Coffey said.
“The government, the electricity operators and AEMO [Australian Energy Market Operator] are telling everyone loud and clear that the grid is in danger of falling over because of the amount of solar power that is being pumped into it in the middle of the day.”
More than a million of Australia’s rooftop solar systems are in Queensland — the most of any state in the country.
In February, the state government announced a means-tested fund giving 2,000 Queenslanders up to $4,000 off the cost of a battery, but the program ended in May.
In New South Wales, home owners with rooftop solar will be able to get up to $2,400 off the installation of a home battery and $400 off connecting their homes or businesses battery to a virtual power plant.
Queensland Energy Minister Mick de Brenni said the home battery subsidy program would be evaluated to “inform further government consideration of additional support for households to adopt technology to lower bills and reduce emissions”.
The Queensland opposition did not directly respond to questions about whether it had plans to subsidise the cost of home batteries for people to capture solar power during the day.
‘The cost benefit is becoming increasingly marginal’
Dr Asma Aziz, an expert in renewable energy at Edith Cowan University, said while the cost of batteries is coming down, it is still prohibiting many from investing in the technology.
“Other than the cost, there are many other factors, like tariff and proper selection,” she said.
“People don’t have the knowledge in terms of how to select the batteries.”
The Australian Energy Market Commission estimates the average consumer will take 7.5 years to pay off their battery with solar savings.
Mr Coffey sees it as money lost by consumers who were encouraged to put solar on their rooves.
“Why does the average consumer have to keep bearing the burden?” he asked.
“It’s getting super expensive to have a PV (photovoltaic) system, but I’m not getting any help from the government to permit me to use that system to its fullest benefit, whilst helping the government and AEMO and electricity retailers manage the grid.
“The cost benefit is becoming increasingly marginal.”
He said he’d like to see the government pick up half the bill for buying and installing batteries in Queensland homes.
Dr Aziz agreed, saying the government should come to the party.
“We need storage and we need diverse technology and we need different durations of storage,” she said.
“The technology is there… but government needs to provide more support for these types of technologies.”
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Posted 11 Jul 202411 Jul 2024Thu 11 Jul 2024 at 7:36pm, updated 11 Jul 202411 Jul 2024Thu 11 Jul 2024 at 11:23pm
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