Energy Consumption

[Kal (Andrew)]

Originally Posted by CJ

Does that figure allow for the take up of home solar power?

Yep.

Here are the cliff notes for the fall in energy consumption, and what they attribute it to:

37% - The biggest single reason is the introduction from the late 1990s of regulations to increase the energy efficiency of refrigerators, freezers and many other residential and commercial appliances, and to increase the energy efficiency of new buildings.

10% - structural change in the economy away from electricity-intensive industries. Over the year to September 2012, three major NSW industrial power users – Port Kembla steelworks, Kurri Kurri aluminium smelter and the Clyde oil refinery – were partly or completely shut down.

14% - power consumption by other major industrial users has been little changed over the three years to 2012-13

19% - response of electricity users, particularly residential users, to the higher prices they were being charged

13% - growth in output from rooftop photovoltaic solar and other small, distributed generators

[AndrewJ]

Their calculations say

"that the growth in output from rooftop photovoltaic solar and other small, distributed generators accounts for about 13 per cent of the shortfall."

I understand that bit
But what if people know they have got panels and hence can use what they want, and hence increase their overall usage???
They may have reduced what they used from the grid by 13 percent, but are they eventually using more overall ???, ie have they reduced their total energy footprint.
I havent been able to see anything covering that.


Andrew

[CJ (Chris)]

Sorry Andrew, I didn't see your link.
Interesting figures.
Thanks.

[tlgerdes (Trevor)]

Originally Posted by AndrewJ

I understand that bit
But what if people know they have got panels and hence can use what they want, and hence increase their overall usage???
They may have reduced what they used from the grid by 13 percent, but are they eventually using more overall ???, ie have they reduced their total energy footprint.
I havent been able to see anything covering that.


Andrew

I think that will depend on whether you are on the older Gross Feed-In Tariffs (FIT) or the newer Nett FIT.

With the gross FIT, they see what you generate and what you consume as 2 separate items, so can tell if your consumption has changed. With Nett, they don't, they only see the difference between what you use and what you generate.

I am waiting on my 4kw system to be installed and chose to have a power monitor installed so I can watch my own habits.