My new meter...

Our new digital meter...

Last Friday a lovely man from Ergon came and took away our old meter and installed a new digital meter...

We had been trying to figure out what all the numbers meant and on the net Ergon has allot of explanations as to what reach means bar one. The number 7. I was hoping that that was for the solar we had put back into the grid and a visit to their office yesterday confirmed that...

But I must say I am a little sad right now... When we still had the old meter and the solar was producing electricity it was coming off our consumption which was wonderful. What I didn't realise was that this is how it worked in Queensland. In many other states around the country, houses are installed with a gross reader. We get a net meter. Apparently the Queensland Government decided that you would use your solar first and then any left over would go into the grid with the payment of $0.44 per KwH payable to you only at that time. In other states they get paid for all power produced and get paid a heck of allot more I might add...

So since Friday's installation, we have only put 2KwH into the grid. Idea now is to do all work and electricity usage after dark. That is easy with washing and lights but not so easy with cooking, baking and the fridge etc. We will be trying as much as possible to not use power during the day now so that the most goes into the grid and we get paid more than twice as much as we use.

Though I am sad about the turn of events... I must say that it is good to realise that we are using the power that our own panels are making. We are not just putting it back into the grid and only getting the money for it. I do like that very much...

Also found out yesterday that power is about to go up by 13.5% as at 1 July 2010. Bet green power won't get paid more...

Cheers Damaris