Today
- Opinion
- Electricity
Pay households and they will use energy wisely
If you offer money to householders to provide power at certain times or to reduce demand, they will happily do it – provided it isn’t just a pea and thimble trick.
September
- Opinion
- Electricity
Why the ‘community’ battery is a Ponzi scheme
Community batteries are growing in popularity but may not be better value for households than buying their own, with subsidies for low-income households.
- Updated
- Opinion
- Electricity
Here’s how household solar systems could get bigger
Electricity networks unnecessarily restrict rooftop panels’ exports to the grid because they aren’t managing voltage as well as they could be.
August
- Opinion
- Electricity
Building new transmission lines won’t cut power bills, but this might
Labor’s modelling claimed transmission funding could save households $275 a year, but only changes inside homes will really help cut costs.
- Opinion
- Electricity
This one simple step could cut your energy bill
If your energy retailer hits you with a big tariff increase, you can find a better deal using one of the government-run energy price comparison websites.
- Opinion
- Gas
The two facts to consider before writing off Dictator Dan’s gas ban
Gas companies have two correct arguments against Victoria’s ban on gas connections in new homes, but there are two in favour they are quick to ignore.
July
- Opinion
- Electricity
How to transition without transmission – or Eraring
The annual cost of keeping the Eraring coal-fired power station open could fund $5000 battery rebates for almost every NSW solar system installed each year, providing just under 500MW of battery capacity.
June
- Opinion
- Gas
Why households shouldn’t wait to get off gas
Victorian households looking to end their use of gas should do it sooner rather than later, or face the risk of even higher exit fees.
- Opinion
- Carbon challenge
How to get paid more for solar power (but there’s a catch)
Distributors have been delegated structuring power prices to make the most of solar, batteries and EVs. It’s throwing up tariffs with quirky characteristics.
May
- Opinion
- Energy transition
What’s required to accelerate battery uptake is a rebate, not a loan
If the Labor government really wants to help households drive down their energy bills and reduce emissions, it will need to do a lot more than offer cheap loans.
April
- Opinion
- Renewables
If I go all electric, do I need to upgrade my grid connection?
What if you’re not Mike Cannon-Brookes and don’t own mansions with big swimming pools, spas, data servers, and commercial kitchens?
- Opinion
- Renewables
Dodgy carbon offsets are better than solar
If you’d like to do your bit for the environment, you should try to track down and buy crummy carbon credits.
March
- Opinion
- Gas crisis
Why switching off gas at home could be key to keeping the lights on
Australia’s east coast faces a gas supply crisis, but converting heaters and water heaters to electricity could hold the best hope of averting shortfalls.
- Opinion
- Carbon challenge
Tesla comes around to my way of thinking
The electric car maker has finally started talking about the idea of vehicle batteries supporting the power grid – or at least the engineers have, if not Elon Musk.
February
- Opinion
- Energy transition
The verdict on heat-pump water heaters is in
If they function properly, these products should be vastly more energy efficient than the dominant water heater technologies.
- Opinion
- Carbon challenge
Can I go off-grid for less than a grand?
A summer holiday provided an opportunity to see just how cheaply I might be able to achieve my own self-sufficient electricity supply.
- Updated
December 2022
- Opinion
- Carbon challenge
How to save $1500 from your power bill
Australians might be struggling with the high cost of power. But they can convert themselves from helpless consumers to energy producers using new technology.
- Updated
- Opinion
- Carbon challenge
Electric vehicles are better than a ute for dodging tax
EVs can now take pride of place alongside the Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux, Isuzu D-MAX and other big utility vehicles as a favourite way for Australians to sidestep the taxman.
November 2022
- Opinion
- Carbon challenge
Vehicle to grid EV batteries could put power plants out of business
Using an EV to power the home is about a fourth to a fifth the current cost of big battery electricity and may put conventional power plants out of business.
- Opinion
- Carbon challenge
How you and your EV could overpower state grid planning
A fully electric vehicle fleet will hold close to 24 hours’ worth of Australian electricity supply as surplus to our need for transport.
