[LINK] The Smart Meters are coming to get us!

[Michael Skeggs mike@bystander.net]

On 18 October 2012 16:07, Dr Bob Jansen <bob.jansen at turtlelane.com.au> wrote:
> Mike,
> Although I agree in principle with your views, if my memory serves me correctly, the Victorian experience is that most if not all bills increased with the introduction of smart meters. I am sure, not all these people ran aircon all day so they, like me, do not fit into your criteria. Still, the papers this morning discussed the fedgov report and stated that smart meters would make things cheaper. That does not appear to be the general evidence at all.
>
> I found the best thing in our new factory building was me installing a power meter on the meter box and seeing, in realtime, power usage. That started me thinking more about what was on and off and changed my behaviour. The app that came with the meter is very useful in displaying long term trends. what it showed was an initial downward trend as I became more familiar with what power was being used and turning things off, until now a steady state has been achieved. From my experience though, I would still expect my bill to increase even after I have done all I could to reduce usage.
>
> The only option is to go fully solar and off grid. I wonder what the power companies are thinking about the population going off grid as the prices for this technology decrease to become viable? I have been experimenting with a trial system which is a battery powered system which charges up from the mains overnight. The next step is to add a solar panel to change during the day and then only rely on the mains when necesary. Not fully off grid but as best as I can think of. Want to bet that the per KwH rates will increase  and they redefine peak period, if this becomes the norm? A bit like the banks offering free internet banking and then when the majority of customers cross over, begin to charge for it.
>
> Also, I seem to remember that a fedgov report indicated that all this investment in infrastructure, to save us from blackouts, was not essential and in fact a response to a pricing environment that rewarded such spending even if not required.
>

Agreed on all your points, but my contention is that time of use
tariffs would result in more efficient use of power, and a lower peak
(with concommitant reduced infrastructure requirements) if it was
applied honestly and fairly, while the current practice where the
majority has no incentive to conserve power during costly-to-supply
peak periods is wasteful and inefficient.
As for off-grid, assuming you conserve all you can, and keep a grid
link for the rare times when you have a week of rain with inadequate
sunlight to recharge your batteries, you will likely need about 2 days
of storage capacity. The average Aussie uses approx 22kWh per day, but
with good conservation you can probably get down to 10kWh per day, so
2 days worth is approx 1700Ah on a 12v battery. Ebay tells me that
100Ah batteries cost $250, so figure $4250 for power storage.
Add an inverter, and about 2kW of solar panels (rule of thumb that
they will deliver 5 times their rating in kWh per day averaged over a
year) and a charge regulator and wiring and you could viably reduce
grid usage to near zero for under $10k.
Sadly, the batteries will deteriorate with time, and probably will
need replacing after a decade.

The cost of grid power for me is getting up to near 30c per kWh inc
GST, so at 10kWh per day about $1100 p.a. All this suggests the grid
still has some life in it, but it off-grid is getting more viable. 10
years ago the same calculation would have been absurd.
For me, the interesting point is that if power prices go up a bit
more, and solar panel and battery prices fall a bit more, the
infection point will be reached and the utilites' economics that rely
on everyone being connected will start to break down.

Regards,
Michael Skeggs