octave

I think that is a little optimistic. As far as we know the Ayatollah's more hard line son is now in charge. The Iranian people are still suffering. The Straights of Hormuz that used to be open is now closed it restricted possibly triggering a world recession. Trumps approval rating plummeting.

Oil Refinery Fires in Australia 2026 – Geelong Oil Refinery (Viva Energy) Large fire with explosions; burned ~13 hours; no injuries. 2018 – Kwinana Oil Refinery (BP) Fire in processing unit; contained; no major injuries. 2004 – Kwinana Oil Refinery (BP) Fire and explosion during maintenance; several injuries. 1994 – Clyde Refinery (Shell) Processing unit fire; limited injuries. 1984 – Port Stanvac Refinery (ExxonMobil) Operational fire; contained. 1970s–2010s – Altona Refinery (ExxonMobil) Multiple minor fires; no major catastrophic event.

Spot prices being zero or even negative are not just a thing since renewables. Negative spot prices are not new and actually occurred regularly before the rise of renewables. While renewables are now the primary driver of their frequency, the core cause has always been system inflexibility—the inability of certain power plants to shut down when demand is low. www.agora-energiewende.org +2 Why Negative Prices Occurred Before Renewables Historically, negative prices typically happened at night when demand was at its lowest. Coal Plant Inflexibility: Large coal-fired power stations have a "minimum generation" level they must maintain to keep their turbines spinning. Cost of Restarting: It is often cheaper for a coal plant to pay to stay online (selling at a negative price) than to undergo the slow and expensive process of shutting down and restarting a boiler. Technical Necessity: Some "must-run" units are required to stay online to provide grid stability or heat for local networks, forcing them to bid negatively during low-demand periods just to guarantee they aren't turned off. Australian Energy Council +4

How is it grid mismanagement?

I believe there was an explosion and fire at this refinery in 1961 (before my time). 2 fatalities and 2 injuries

Interesting article regarding feed in tariffs. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-16/australian-solar-feed-in-tariffs-have-plunged-99-per-cent/104986534

There are schemes that are making electricity free for everyone for 3 hours a day whether they have solar or not. I don't know about the rest of the country but in Vic I think this starts in October. This is courtesy of home rooftop solar and it's benefits go to everyone including people who can't afford solar or who rent Starting from July and October 2026, millions of Australian households (specifically NSW, QLD, SA, and VIC) can opt into new energy plans offering 3 hours of free electricity daily, generally around 11 am – 2 pm or 12 pm – 3 pm. The initiative leverages excess solar power, enabling savings on appliances, heating, and electric vehicle charging. Premier of Victoria +5 Key Details on Free Electricity Offers When: Federal Solar Sharer Offer (SSO) begins 1 July 2026 in NSW, SA, and SE Queensland. The Victorian Midday Power Saver begins 1 October 2026. How it Works: The "free" window is typically in the middle of the day (e.g., 11 am - 2 pm). It is an opt-in, voluntary scheme that requires a smart meter. Who is Eligible: Households with or without solar panels, including renters, can sign up. Savings: Projections suggest annual savings of up to $300, or more if electric vehicle (EV) charging or battery storage is shifted to these hours. Caps: Some plans, such as those discussed in the SSO, may cap free electricity usage at roughly 24 kWh per day. Existing Options: Some retailers already offer similar, specialized plans, such as OVO Energy's "Free 3" plan (11 AM to 2 PM) and GloBird Energy's "FOUR4FREE" plan. How to Maximize the 3 Free Hours Shift Usage: Run dishwashers, washing machines, and dryers during the free window. Pre-cool/Heat: Use air conditioning or heating to adjust home temperatures when it's free. Charge Devices: Charge electric vehicles (EVs) and portable batteries during this time. Hot Water: Use a timer on electric hot water systems to heat during the free period. Time Out +4

That is pretty lucky for you. I would suggest that the majority of systems are on a much worse deal. The fact is that in early days of roof top solar the grid really needed as much as could get. Now there is more rooftop solar than often is required. This is where batteries or EVs come in. My electricity bills are kept low by utilizing solar electricity during the day. Dishwasher, washing machine, hot water are all scheduled for day time. Next year I intend to get an EV so my excess will go into the vehicle and also I can draw back with V2L. Back to your main point. Because I and most recent rooftop installations are only getting a few cents a kWh and have export limits I would suggest that these people are paying the network costs. If you are getting 50 cents a kWh then you are an example of the problem you illustrating.

Solar export limits "Solar export limits are caps placed by network distributors on the amount of excess solar electricity your rooftop system can send back to the grid, typically capped around 5kW per phase. These limits prevent grid overload, meaning any excess energy produced above the limit is capped or wasted rather than sold. Energy.gov.au +3 What Export Limits Mean for Your Solar System: System "Throttling": When your solar generation exceeds your home’s energy usage plus the allowed export limit, special equipment limits (curtails) your inverter, capping the output. Reduced Feed-in Tariffs: Since you cannot send as much electricity back, you receive lower credits for your solar energy, reducing your income. Increased Self-Consumption: These limits make it more economical to use solar energy directly (running appliances during the day) or to store it in a battery for later use, rather than exporting it. Approval Conditions: Many households must install this technology to get approval for larger solar installations. Flexible Exports: Some areas are moving to "flexible" limits, which allow higher exports during low-demand periods but lower exports when the network is congested, say local providers like AusNet and Essential Energy. Even with export limits, rooftop solar remains a strong investment for households to reduce electricity bills through self-consumption

Oh also nowadays there are export limits per month so it is quite difficult to sell enough kWh to negate network fees.

How do you figure that? The retailers are making a profit from my solar input. They buy it from me at 8 cents and sell it for 30 cents. Back when solar imports paid better sometimes I would get a negative bill. This would mean that the network fee would be zero. This does not mean it is not being paid for. In this case I would be paying for the network fee with kWhs which has a value. I am not getting connection to the grid for nothing.

I disagree. The retailer buys my excess kWhs for 8 cents and resells it for 30ish cents per kWh. Out of this I am guessing the retailer pays it's network expenses and reaps a profit.

Absolutely, I don't know how anyone consumes that volume of liquid. Give me 1 schooner of a cheeky extra hoppy IPA any day or perhaps a Sour beer in summer.

Obviously the fire was started by radical leftist EV owners seeking to overthrow the capitalist system....... or a faulty valve.

The 9 pints reference comes from a good friend of mine who teases (in a friendly way) for liking craft beer. He once said that the problem with craft beer was due to the intense flavours and the price he could not drink more than one or two. In time this became exaggerated and if he teased me I would accuse him of not liking craft beer because he couldn't manage 9 pints in one sitting. I don't know why 9 pints in particular but it just sounds right.

I don't know of any electricity retailers who only charge a kWh and not a network fee but I am happy to be enlightened. Certainly every retailer I have have looked at charges a network charge. If you have a battery and can supply all of your own power needs but are still connected to the grid as a backup then you are paying your fair share. If you are able to disconnect from the grid then why should you pay for a grid you don't use? If you have a house on tank water you should not have to pay water rates.

I think, unless you can go off-grid, you are still financially supporting the grid. My last bill comprised of for the net kWh I used $19.56. In addition to this, I also had to pay a Supply Charge of $28.16 and a membership fee of $14.72. It could be argued that someone who is managing their battery so as not to draw from the grid, but who is still connected and therefore paying fixed monthly fees is paying money whilst not actually using the services of the grid, except as a standby. I would suspect there would not be many suburban homes that actually go off the grid.

I think this has changed with the advent of craft beer pubs. My local before I moved was called "Two Birds Brewery" I heard the owners interviewed and they talked about how in this type of pub there were more female customers. Rather than being a down 9 pints type of place, there are now often a vast range of beers, and they tend not to be served onto a soggy bar towel. When at a new location, we always look for the local craft beer establishment, and usually we find a more or less equal gender balance. https://shedefined.com.au/international-womens-day/meet-the-women-breaking-the-gender-divide-in-the-beer-industry/

Indeed. I think back to the early eighties, when my most sophisticated means of communication was the humble telephone. A call interstate had to wait till Sunday evening, when it would be less expensive. If someone had told me that one day everyone would have a phone in their pocket that was also a powerful computer I would have had trouble believing them. Likewise, the idea that the majority of the world would be connected by this internet thingy would have seemed absurd. Technological development has not suddenly stopped. The rapid development of telecommunications systems over the last 20 to 30 years is an indicator of what is possible. There is no reason that the power grid we have today is the endpoint of technological development. It is all too easy to believe everything that can be done has been done.

You are not wrong there. I booked a flight from Avalon to Adelaide return for $108. There was an even cheaper option, one way for $44. I did book this before the fuel crisis, though. This is obscenely cheap.

I am by no means an expert in this, however, everything I read suggests that home batteries that are part of a VPP can help maintain grid frequency. Understanding the Types of Grid Support the Battery Provides When a home battery joins a VPP, it can play very different roles depending on what the grid needs. Some of the most common use cases today are described as follows. Frequency Regulation The electric grid must keep its alternating-current frequency within tight limits (in AU, around 50 Hz). If demand suddenly rises or a generator trips, frequency may drop. A battery participating in frequency regulation can respond almost instant, charging or discharging quickly to restore balance. Frequency regulation often commands relatively high compensation per unit of energy or service provided. Demand Response (DR) via Storage Demand response in AU/NZ refers to any action that reduces net demand on the grid during tight supply conditions or high-price periods, either by curtailing or shifting flexible loads, or by using behind-the-meter resources such as batteries so a site draws less electricity from the grid when called upon. Depending on the programs, homeowners get predictable compensation for simply being available, or the payment to homeowners in DR-type programs is typically linked to how much energy is saved or how much load power is reduced. https://www.franklinwh.com/au/blog/how-virtual-power-plants-are-changing-home-battery-use

Inverters don't contribute to the grid. Batteries help the grid because they smooth out peaks in consumption. There is a huge peak around the time people get home from work and cook dinner. Those people with their own batteries are helping by not contributing to this peak, and those who sell a portion of their stored electricity back to the grid are reducing the need to ramp up power stations or peaker plants. Most of the world is moving in this direction; can they all be wrong?

I am not quite clear what you are saying here, but here is my understanding of it. During the day I am using my own electricity. My excess is sold to the grid for a tiny 8 cents a kWh, which they resell for 30ish cents a kWh. I appreciate that I am using the network; however, I would expect that the large disparity between the price they by my KWh and the price they resell takes into account the cost of the network of this transaction.

In Europe, they are now doing what is called balconnny solar. It's pretty much plug and play, and renters can take it with them if they move. There are also other schemes, such as solar sharing schemes. These are in their infancy; however, but they are evolving as technology improves. Solar systems for apartment buildings Community Solar Banks Program The Australian Government’s Community Solar Banks Program is supporting the installation of shared solar and clean energy technology in apartment buildings and other multi-unit dwellings. The government’s investment will provide shared solar systems and help to lower electricity costs for up to 25,000 households. Shared community solar banks help households who can’t install their own systems. This will allow more households to benefit from renewable energy, including people who: rent their homes live in apartments can't afford to install their own system. The Australian Government is partnering with states and territories to deliver the program. To find out what support is available in your state or territory and how to apply, visit the Community Solar Banks Program page .

I understand that point, but it assumes the way we generate and distribute electricity can’t evolve. The old model—large central power stations feeding passive consumers—is already changing. The grid is becoming more dynamic, with energy coming from multiple sources. Households like mine don’t just draw from the grid—we also contribute to it. Over time, things like microgrids or suburb-level battery sharing could become part of that evolution. There’s also an energy security angle. A system that relies less on a few large power stations and more on distributed generation is generally more resilient—failures are less likely to cause widespread outages. Since installing my system, I’ve generated about 36 MWh of electricity. If that had come from coal, it would have required roughly 15–18 tonnes. That’s a significant amount of fuel avoided, even at the household level. I do recognise the tension: I still rely on the grid, and without a battery I’m exporting a lot of energy. But that just reinforces the point—the grid needs to adapt to a two-way flow of energy rather than a one-way model. In my case, I haven’t installed a battery yet because my usage is low and the payback period was around 20+ years. That said, batteries offer other benefits like backup during outages and helping stabilise the grid. My next step will likely be an EV with vehicle-to-load (V2L). That effectively gives me a battery I can use to store excess solar and provide backup power. More advanced options like V2H or V2G are still expensive, but even V2L starts to shift the model. I accept that this kind of change may disrupt traditional generators and retailers—but that’s not unusual. Energy systems have always evolved, and this is just the next stage.