Antinuclear

Solar energy trading between households a – new concept becoming a reality

Trading solar-generated power between households to change the way consumers buy electricity, ABC News By consumer affairs reporter Amy Bainbridge, 18 Feb 16  The concept of bypassing major energy retailers to trade rooftop solar-generated electricity between households, small businesses and community groups is inching closer to reality.

This month’s arrival of the Tesla battery in Australia is slated as a major shift in favour of consumers taking charge of their energy storage.

One Sydney entrepreneur has devised a system that would allow consumers to set up a virtual shop to trade their surplus energy with other households, small businesses and community groups in their grid.Jitendra Tomar, from the Sydney-based start-up Local Volts, said it was about changing the way consumers buy electricity. “Anybody, whether you’re big or small, whether you’re a farmer or residential person, whether you’re a high school or tennis club, can become an energy farmer,” he said……..

The Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney is conducting virtual trials of local energy trading at five sites along the eastern seaboard.

The Footscray Community Arts Centre in Melbourne’s Western suburbs is looking to become the first organisation of its kind to be powered by solar.

CEO and director Jade Lillie said the centre was running a crowdfunding campaign to combine with philanthropic donations to buy the panels and a battery. “We’re putting 30 kilowatts of solar panels on this roof, which is the warehouse, and 10 kilowatts of solar panels on Henderson House, which is the heritage-listed building,” she said. “What we’ll be able to do is actually through the Tesla battery is store that energy during the day as well and then use it in the evening so we’re less reliant on mainstream grid-based power sources.”

Ms Lillie says the centre aimed to save $15,000 in power bills each year. The project will also fund LED house lights for its performance space.

The Australian Energy Council, which represents retailers and generators, said it was early days, but there was work underway to study the implications of solar trading within the electricity grid.

With a large component of energy bills made up of network fees and charges, it remains to be seen how much cheaper energy bills will be if consumers are able to trade between each other. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-17/tesla-trading-solar-generated-power-change-electricity-market/7156934

February 19, 2016 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, solar