
BYD SOLAR PANELS + BYD BATTERIES
Except PV, BYD is the world’s largest lithium battery manufacturer and the world’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer.
The BYD range of products has a number of advantages that is not found in other home battery solutions.
The BYD B-Box HV series is a sleek and stylish solution that is perfect for the average sized Australian household.
BYD’s modular architecture means households get a storage solution that’s exactly what they need. Options from 5.6 kWh to 10.08 kWh. (Available April 2017)
The modularity of the B-Box also provides flexibility and the capability for the homeowner to add additional storage at a later date.
To assist solar installations, the B-Box HV product is designed to be installed both indoors and outdoors and is very quick and easy to install, with only one technician required to install the B-Box.
The BYD B-Box LV Residential series is another great option for on-grid storage as well as offering the perfect solution for customers who want the ability to go off-grid. Options from 2.5 kWh to 10 kWh. (Available March 2017)
In 2016, BYD shipped over 16 GWh of lithium battery storage and in 2017 expect to ship 24 GWh. This makes BYD the largest lithium ion battery manufacturer in the world by far.
BYD’s ethos is zero emission solutions with end-to-end R&D capability from the production of raw lithium material through to delivering end products and solutions. With global manufacturing in over 30 countries, every 2 seconds another BYD battery cell rolls off their fully automated production lines.
BATTERIES TO BECOME AFFORDABLE. BYD HOME SOLUTIONS COMING APRIL 2017.
We take a lot of enquires from customers regarding the validity of using batteries at home to supplement the grid power. like most new technologies the early adopters will pay the premium price and the general masses will benefit from price drops at a later time.
BYD , renown for supplying the Toyota Motor Company with batteries for hybrid cars are soon to be supplying the Australian Renewable market with a great option for hybrid solutions. The modular package allows you to have as little or as much stored power as you like. Feel free to send me an email for information.
AUSSIE OFF GRID and SOLAR DOWN UNDER have teamed up to provide both Off Grid Solutions and customers that are connected to the grid with various battery options. Click on the link on our product page for information on what products are on offer.
The 'death spiral' scaring electricity providers Climate Change National Energy Smart Potential threat to electricity: Solar panels will decrease the demand for electricity. Photo: Justin McManus
It is called ''the death spiral'' and it is terrifying power suppliers.
At the moment they are awarded price rises to cover the cost of their spending on cables and substations. If power usage slides (as it has been), they are granted further price rises to ensure they can continue to recover those costs.
It has not been a big problem because their customers have had nowhere else to go. Until now.
Energy specialist Lucy Carter of the Grattan Institute outlined the horror scenario for suppliers while launching a new report to be released on Monday about why we are paying too much for power.
Advertisement She says network charges account for most of the increase in electricity prices. The carbon tax is small by comparison.
''The risk for the companies is that when people get the option of putting solar panels on their roofs and installing batteries and cutting the cord, demand will fall sharply. The people who end up left on the network will be the only ones left paying.'' They will be stuck with extremely high network charges, forcing even more people off the network, pushing network charges higher still. It is what Ms Carter calls ''your death spiral scenario''.
She says it is not upon us yet, but if battery storage improves and network costs keep rising, it will be.
Part of Ms Carter's proposed solution is for power companies to charge for network costs differently. At the moment customers who put very little strain on the network pay the same fixed charge and the same amount per kilowatt as those whose peak usage necessitates extra spending on high-grade wires and substations.
Those peak users account for about one-third of the extra spending on infrastructure over the past five years, Ms Carter says.
She wants to charge users for the pressure they put on the network rather than for being part of it. Someone who comes home to a McMansion and whacks on all the airconditioners or heaters puts far more pressure on the network than someone who is at home all day using the same amount of power more steadily.
It can properly happen only with smart meters that report usage to retailers. Victoria has them and could adopt the proposal immediately. In other states such as NSW, Ms Carter says, the ability to levy variable charges could build a business case for suppliers paying to install smart meters.
Her other solution is even bolder: a peak usage warning to be delivered by SMS or broadcast on TV the day before extreme peak demand due to events such as heatwaves. In France it is done using a red, white and blue colour code. ‘'Red'’ means the next day is facing an extreme peak and that for that day only electricity will be more expensive. Throughout the rest of the year users will be given rebates to make sure they are not charged more overall.
The system would apply only in locations where the network was under pressure and the alternative was new infrastructure.
If it was in operation over the past five years, the Grattan Institute believes it would have saved $7.8 billion of the $17.6 billion spent on new infrastructure.
Data on household electricity use provided by the Victorian government suggests the change would be unlikely to affect disadvantaged families.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/the-death-spiral-scaring-electricity-providers-20140706-zsy76.html#ixzz378tXWLFy
It is called ''the death spiral'' and it is terrifying power suppliers.
At the moment they are awarded price rises to cover the cost of their spending on cables and substations. If power usage slides (as it has been), they are granted further price rises to ensure they can continue to recover those costs.
It has not been a big problem because their customers have had nowhere else to go. Until now.
Energy specialist Lucy Carter of the Grattan Institute outlined the horror scenario for suppliers while launching a new report to be released on Monday about why we are paying too much for power.
Advertisement She says network charges account for most of the increase in electricity prices. The carbon tax is small by comparison.
''The risk for the companies is that when people get the option of putting solar panels on their roofs and installing batteries and cutting the cord, demand will fall sharply. The people who end up left on the network will be the only ones left paying.'' They will be stuck with extremely high network charges, forcing even more people off the network, pushing network charges higher still. It is what Ms Carter calls ''your death spiral scenario''.
She says it is not upon us yet, but if battery storage improves and network costs keep rising, it will be.
Part of Ms Carter's proposed solution is for power companies to charge for network costs differently. At the moment customers who put very little strain on the network pay the same fixed charge and the same amount per kilowatt as those whose peak usage necessitates extra spending on high-grade wires and substations.
Those peak users account for about one-third of the extra spending on infrastructure over the past five years, Ms Carter says.
She wants to charge users for the pressure they put on the network rather than for being part of it. Someone who comes home to a McMansion and whacks on all the airconditioners or heaters puts far more pressure on the network than someone who is at home all day using the same amount of power more steadily.
It can properly happen only with smart meters that report usage to retailers. Victoria has them and could adopt the proposal immediately. In other states such as NSW, Ms Carter says, the ability to levy variable charges could build a business case for suppliers paying to install smart meters.
Her other solution is even bolder: a peak usage warning to be delivered by SMS or broadcast on TV the day before extreme peak demand due to events such as heatwaves. In France it is done using a red, white and blue colour code. ‘'Red'’ means the next day is facing an extreme peak and that for that day only electricity will be more expensive. Throughout the rest of the year users will be given rebates to make sure they are not charged more overall.
The system would apply only in locations where the network was under pressure and the alternative was new infrastructure.
If it was in operation over the past five years, the Grattan Institute believes it would have saved $7.8 billion of the $17.6 billion spent on new infrastructure.
Data on household electricity use provided by the Victorian government suggests the change would be unlikely to affect disadvantaged families.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/the-death-spiral-scaring-electricity-providers-20140706-zsy76.html#ixzz378tXWLFy

SOILING - Did you know?
Does a Dirty Solar Panel Cost You Money?
In short yes
Soiling is normally calculated at 5 - 10 % loss
Yesterday I cleaned a 10 kW system that had never been cleaned in the nine years it has been on the roof
A majority of the panels had been installed under a wood fire chimney....
The system showed that it was only producing 10 -15 kW per day, some 50 kW under its potential.
Tis equates to over $10 per day
$300 per month, thousands a year
Are your panels dirty?
LED LIGHTING
Did you know that LED down lights have come down in price from $100 per fitting to around $25 for a good quality dimmable fixture.
You can power 5 LED down lights for the cost of 1 x 50 watt Halogen bulb,
This in fact brings your lighting costs down by 80% by replacing old Halogen Lights with new LEDs.
Don't let Old myths about LED lighting scare you off saving money.
Original fittings were only 5-6 watts , producing a sub par light, now most fittings are 10 -13 watts and give... off a much brighter and better directed light.
Solar Down Under for the month of January 2017 will replace your old Halogen fittings for $25.00 per light.(No Minimum number)
anybody interested email
info@solardownunder.com
New Developments for Homes/Businesses that already have Solar.
Can I Add More Panels?
Up until recent times, energy authorities have not allowed a home owner to increase the size of the PV system on their property.
In doing so you would forfeit the 0.60 cent feed in tariff. Most people on this feed in tariff are on a gross feed in meter. This means that a quarterly amount is deducted from your electricity bill depending on the amount you SGU has produced. With increasing electricity costs, the overall benefit from the solar being reduced. Authorities are now allowing home and business owners to install an additional Net system.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
Installing an additional Net system will offset the power used in the home /business and reduce the quarterly power bill. This means the power generate by the Gross (0.60 cent) system will be earning you more dollars.
Solis Inverters 8 year standard warranty proving to be very popular with Solar customers.
Solar Down Under has been installing Solis inverters for some years now. Solis Australasia has just released the new 2G range of both single and three phase inverters. Solis Inverters are made to last and a standard 8 year warranty backs up the confidence in quality. Solis also offer an affordable and informative monitoring system, have your computer connected to a web based information centre or a trendy APP for Android or I Phone. Information is live so you can see production figures, it even has weather for your local area. See our product section for full information on Solis Inverters.
SOILING - Did you know?
Does a Dirty Solar Panel Cost You Money?
In short yes
Soiling is normally calculated at 5 - 10 % loss
Yesterday I cleaned a 10 kW system that had never been cleaned in the nine years it has been on the roof
A majority of the panels had been installed under a wood fire chimney....
The system showed that it was only producing 10 -15 kW per day, some 50 kW under its potential.
Tis equates to over $10 per day
$300 per month, thousands a year
Are your panels dirty?
LED LIGHTING
Did you know that LED down lights have come down in price from $100 per fitting to around $25 for a good quality dimmable fixture.
You can power 5 LED down lights for the cost of 1 x 50 watt Halogen bulb,
This in fact brings your lighting costs down by 80% by replacing old Halogen Lights with new LEDs.
Don't let Old myths about LED lighting scare you off saving money.
Original fittings were only 5-6 watts , producing a sub par light, now most fittings are 10 -13 watts and give... off a much brighter and better directed light.
Solar Down Under for the month of January 2017 will replace your old Halogen fittings for $25.00 per light.(No Minimum number)
anybody interested email
info@solardownunder.com
New Developments for Homes/Businesses that already have Solar.
Can I Add More Panels?
Up until recent times, energy authorities have not allowed a home owner to increase the size of the PV system on their property.
In doing so you would forfeit the 0.60 cent feed in tariff. Most people on this feed in tariff are on a gross feed in meter. This means that a quarterly amount is deducted from your electricity bill depending on the amount you SGU has produced. With increasing electricity costs, the overall benefit from the solar being reduced. Authorities are now allowing home and business owners to install an additional Net system.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
Installing an additional Net system will offset the power used in the home /business and reduce the quarterly power bill. This means the power generate by the Gross (0.60 cent) system will be earning you more dollars.
Solis Inverters 8 year standard warranty proving to be very popular with Solar customers.
Solar Down Under has been installing Solis inverters for some years now. Solis Australasia has just released the new 2G range of both single and three phase inverters. Solis Inverters are made to last and a standard 8 year warranty backs up the confidence in quality. Solis also offer an affordable and informative monitoring system, have your computer connected to a web based information centre or a trendy APP for Android or I Phone. Information is live so you can see production figures, it even has weather for your local area. See our product section for full information on Solis Inverters.