The climate change debate continues.

[octave]

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

[octave]

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

Edited 3 hours ago by octave

[Siso]

I have the early contracts, put in as much as I like at 50c/kWh

[kgwilson]

Managed inverters do contribute to the stability of the grid as it is the inverter that manages the battery and decides when to charge or discharge and whether to import or export. I signed up with Amber a few weeks ago and it has been interesting watching what the software is telling my system to do as it uses algorithms to check the spot price which changes every 5 minutes and how much energy I am using and whether my battery is charging or not and what the current export price is.

 

I had run the EV battery down to 20% with a few longish drives over 3 days & decided to charge it today. I have the car set to charge only between 10am & 2.30pm. By 10 am my battery that was depleted overnight as it exported during the peak time from about 5.30pm & 7pm had regained about 55% of charge. The charger consumes 7kWh & the solar now is generating about 6kWh. In January this would have been 9kWh. So the solar was used to power the charger & the rest of the house & the balance supplemented by the battery. When the battery depleted to 29% the system stopped drawing from it & began importing energy and the solar then was all used for charging the battery. At that time the spot price was 11c/kWh & the export price was -1cent.

 

My charger does not have OCCP (Open Charge Point Protocol) so cannot be managed except manually. I changed the charger via its app to charge at 20 amps when it had been charging at 32 amps. The inverter then stopped importing power and supplied the charger & house & began recharging the battery with the surplus. For the last few days the inverter has used its curtailment function to reduce solar output once the battery is full to prevent export at very low or negative export prices

 

The Amber software is in learning mode for the first 30 days so gets more accurate over time. The Amber App today shows that in the past 18 days I am $31.03 in credit. Ambers charge is a flat $25.00 a month so that is covered. The daily supply charge from Essential Energy of $1.92 has already been included. It will be different as the seasons change and if we get a lot of cloudy weather or rain.

[octave]

1 minute ago, Siso said:

I have the early contracts, put in as much as I like at 50c/kWh

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.

[octave]

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

[octave]

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

[Siso]

no such thing as free electricity, just grid mis management

[octave]

18 minutes ago, Siso said:

no such thing as free electricity, just grid mis management

 

How is it grid mismanagement?

[octave]

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