The Energy Grid

When you use power matters.

If you use power from the grid in NSW outside of 9am to 3pm then, no matter what claims your retailer may make about carbon neutrality, it is predominantly power generated from coal which has a high carbon footprint. 

If you have a solar system without battery storage then chances are you still use a significant amount of power from the grid outside of the hours of 9am to 3pm, and therefore you are generating a significant amount of CO2 emissions.

You may generate excess solar over and above what your home uses that you claim as an “offset” against power drawn from the grid.  However, this may not always be the case as there are instances where rooftop solar is displacing large scale solar and wind as opposed to fossil fuels.

The QLD, VIC and WA grids largely mimic NSW, while SA and TAS have a cleaner profile with higher amounts of renewable energy through the daily cycle. 

Enter the home battery
Home battery storage lets you capture excess energy from your solar system, or charge from the grid when the grid is clean and cheap.  This green, cheap energy is then used to power your home through the evening peak when the grid has it’s highest CO2 emissions and highest prices.

If you have excess energy in your home battery then some retailers also let you export this to the grid to the evening peak to maximise your income or minimise your power bill.