The term "Electrical Retailers" is a Blatant Con, they should be called Energy Brokers.
As Energy Retailers Do NOT actually supply anything to you other than a Bill, in fact they Don't Supply, Pay or Transmit the power you consumer, they simply skim a very lucrative "Commission" by loading you bill with deceptive, multiple confusing split charges, and there commission in some cases amounts to over 50% profit on your power bill, for simply sending you a bill & handling your account, and no matter what amount your energy bills come to, the actual cost of your residential power is only 20% of your total bill, it's no wonder droves of people are choosing to go OFF-Grid, behind the Power Meter !
Whilst Coal price have been dropping for several years, the power rates keep on increasing, in 2005 the government setup the "Australian Energy regulator", that is actually controlled by the same state government that own the State electricity company they were tasked with regulating, so, the regulators are regulating themselves!
What the deceptively named "Electricity Retailers" Don't want you to learn: Is that after investing in a Solar array, you ONLY need Energy Storage at least equal to or greater the kWh energy you Consume from Solar Sunset to Sunrise, as that makes you Instantly Energy Independent !
The Best scenario is to have at least one Days kWh Energy Storage!
For Real 24/7 Off-Grid Energy SECURITY, a small $1'4500, 4.2kW Silenced (58dB) Inverter Generator with an Auto Start Function (has a Starter Motor & Battery), is All that is required to charge 95% of single & three phase Energy Storage Systems. Commonly a Generator would Only Start during prolonged Bad Weather or in the early hours of the Morning if/when your Energy Storage gets down to a pre-set State Of Charge (SOC) or Low Voltage !
This is where a System with an Inverter that has an AGS Function can be left unattended, obviously a reserve of Fuel need to be available to run Unattended for unexpected period of Bad Weather !
TIP: If you intend to apply an uncommon Heavy energy load on your Energy System, especially during bad weather, it would be beneficial to Start your Generator, thus reducing the load & assist/increase the longevity of your Energy bank !
How do I calculate an Independent Power Station ?
Use one of these Investment calculators show you how to self fund this in 2~5 year in electricity savings, if you sign-up with the likes of Bespoke Energy Gateway poviders, as some offer a great grid-feed-in credits of $1.00kWh.
Many people that invest in Solar, were & still are being sold arrays larger than there consumption, this was largely to reduce there energy bill & make an income, before the feed-in-tariff were reduced to 6~8 cents kWh in 2022.
People with a solar paid-off in power savings are in the best situation ! As there further investment in just Energy Storage will commonly only take 1~2 years to break-even by eliminating the need to at least importing Power between Sunset to Sunrise!
People with a Energy Storage system that choose to remain Grid connected to Black-out proof there premises, also have the option to export excess energy generated during the day (after batteries are charged) into the state grid, thereby possibly covering the 25kWh of Daily Energy it takes to cover the $30 monthly State Grid Service Fees, before you get FIT Credit.
With a large private energy storage system, you can have a private agreement with a neighbour, at a rate you agree upon, that is called Peer-2-Peer Energy Trading !
REMEMBER: The minimum kWh Energy Storage you need to invest in is, the kWh energy equal to or greater than your Solar Sunset to Sunrise (overnight) Energy Consumption, obviously with a solar array that at least Generates equal or more kWh Energy than your daily Energy consumption!
Then you can simply spend $1'4500 for this 4.2kW Generator to replace the State Grid Charges OR choose Pay $30 month to Remain State Grid Connection !
However, to cover the grid "Supply Charge", you will need to Gift over 375kWh of Energy per Month (12kWh day) if your FIT is $0.08kWh. E.G. $30÷$0.08cents kWh =375kWh per MONTH of your Energy you gift away!
Annually that adds up to 4'500kWh of Gifted Energy, the Retailers on-Sell your Neighbours at say $0.30kWh, making the Retailers $1,350.00 Profit, if you Harvest 12.50kWh per Day of Excess Energy !
All that Profit for just supplying a customer with a Power Bill. 
We say, Invest in More Energy Storage as the Cost is down to $500kWh, and even cheaper for 200kWh Hi-Voltage, semi-commercial in Explosive Proof Housing, Cost is down to $385kWh.
What is the PERFECT FREE ENERGY SYSTEM ? (once paid off in energy savings)
Lets assume you have an approved AMF and ATS switching gear, and Hybrid inverter fitted, you can now incorporate Solar, Aqua, Wind, Batteries &/or a Fuel Generator into your system, then you will have the best system to eliminate your energy bills and go totally Off-Grid or turn-it-around and make money from your system if your energy storage is larger than your usage, you will reduce your break even period even quicker!
Energy Storage:
- Lead Acid Battery (LAB) Bank: Are a long-standing technology with over 100yr old traditional reservoir for storing excess energy that a systems produces for for later harvesting. LAB bank is charged by Solar, Aqua, Wind or Fuel Generator. LAB operate silently & are safe, some require ventilation &/or cooling fans, most are ideal for independent Behind the Meter Off-grid system or can be on-grid using load shifting power.
- Lithium Phosphate Battery (NiFePO4): Are currently the most Common Energy Storage Technology Is a long-standing and over 100yr old traditional reservoir for storing excess energy/power that a systems produces for for later harvesting. Battery bank are charged by Solar, Aqua, Wind or Fuel Generator. Batteries operate silently & are safe, some require ventilation &/or cooling fans, most are ideal for independent Behind the Meter Off-grid system or can be on-grid using load shifting power.
- Hydrogen Energy Storage System (HESS): Has been a long time coming, LAVO Australia is the closest to supplying there 40kWh Hydrogen Module for approx. 26k. The LAVO’s module Generates & Stores Hydrogen in Metal Hydride for later harvesting. HESS Modules commonly use what is normally Waste Power from Solar, Aqua, Wind Turbines and even Fuel Generators when being operation. HESS operate silently & are safe, some require ventilation &/or cooling fans, most are ideal for independent Behind the Meter Off-grid system or can be on-grid using load shifting power.
Most Battery banks are capable of being rapidly charged by a fuelled generator &/or Hi-Amp low voltage Charger, some can be charged in 20 minutes spurts or up to 4 hours run time or less per day, making energy storage a game changer for the user or community.
Energy Harvesting & Generation:
- Solar panels: Once fitted, other than a clean are virtually free of maintenance and produces free power for 25+ years, excess power produced during the day should first be exported into your Energy Storage for later Consuming! Exporting Excess Solar Energy into state grid during the day only provides 8 cents kW feed-in Tariff, better then nothing! However, it's keeps you Enslaved to Paying State Grid Connection Fees, it's a lot smarter to send your Excess Energy directly to your own Energy Storage, for later consumption, instead of paying 300% more for your Power than the Feed-in Tariff, not to mention the $30 Month Connection fee, So you can purchase power back from the state grid & OFF Peak power is supposed to be Cheaper as those Coal Fired Generators can't be Switched OFF & ON like Hydro/Aqua/Wind Generation!
- Aqua Generators: Water Proven to be one of the best and most successful power productions systems if the supply conditions are set-up correctly, there are several sizes kits costing from $1'000 that use a pipe(s) to channel Water into a Turbine(s) from a stream, river, large dams, and reservoirs. If you have a running water close by, a single 300W Aqua Turbine kit will generate 7.2kW power in 24hr day, using simple 3" PVC piping, or better still build a water Vortex using stone, bricks & cement. A water vortex is built like a large bowl shaped water tank with a sink style hole at the bottom where water drains out, click here to read more, the best Aqua generators are all set up from a source of permanent flowing water, so they will operate 24/7 virtually free of maintenance for many years, the only drawback is needing a large or permanent source of water, mostly available and used in country regions.
- Wind Generators: When purchased and set-up correctly they work free of maintenance for may years, but are totally reliant on the wind and should be installed clear of trees and building to gain clear flowing air, Wind Generators are usually used as an alternative supply of power due to there reliance on wind. The best units have odd number of blades (up to 11), these turn Permanent Magnet Generators (PMG) (not a residential Alternator), this 11 blade PMG will set you back $1400 +Freight, we consider these one of the better ones currently on the market.
- Fuel Generators: If you already have Solar, Aqua, Wind and Energy Storage in your system, your Generator would only need to automatically start after sunset & only if your Energy Storage voltage gets to low.
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