Solar power for 'all' with Peer to Peer (P2P) trading

Not everyone can have solar panels on their residence due to price, shade, renting or living in apartments. Such people may able to purchase renewable energy from systems that offer peer to peer (P2P) trading of solar energy across the regulated network.

The secure energy trading platform is based on crypto currency which is foreign to most of us but becomes clearer once examining the articles below. The market provider uses blockchain technology that allows the consumers to trade rooftop solar energy with one another, without the addition of market costs and commercial margins (a saving for the buyer). The seller gets a price which is more than the current feed in tariffs for solar but less than the uniform tariff. There are at least two trials of P2P trading happening in Australia and the links below outline them.

Firstly, blockchain technology is explained in the first half of this podcast from Renew Economy

Energy Insiders Podcast September 25 by Giles Parkinson and David Leitch.

Below are two examples of trials that have or are taking place from One Step off the Grid:

Origin Energy trials solar trading with blockchain start-up Power Ledger by Sophie Vorrath, Sept 21, 2017.

AGL tests household energy trading using blockchain in Melbourne pilot by Sophie Vorrath, May 26, 2017.
Postscript: AGL to expand P2P trial in Adelaide, as consumers embrace solar sharing. By Sophie Vorrath, 20 Nov 2017.

Energy bill savings made from using renewables

With the winter bill in, I have graphed my energy savings after gradually adding renewable energy sources to the house I bought in May 2015. The improvements include solar PV, solar hot water, a home battery with energy management system, double-glazed windows to living area and disconnecting gas to have an all-electric home. These savings were achieved while charging, at home, a plug-in hybrid car and a cordless battery-powered lawn mower.

The figures for the graph include the supply and service fees minus the solar feed in tariff for extra solar energy going to the grid. Where appropriate, the gas figures were added to those of electric. Once being off gas, there was a good saving by only having the one service fee as my gas bill was 80% service fee! However, most of the savings were gained by adding the renewables. The figures do not include discounts, rebates and concessions which I do receive because I am retired.

For more information about the house features, renewables and chronological order of adding improvements please see the page called “My House”

Home solar batteries used to power island grid at peak demand times

Renewable energy at Bruny Island. Photo by Jonathan Jones

The Bruny Island community near Hobart, Tasmania agreed to participate in the CONSORT Bruny Island Battery Trial where 11 solar-powered home battery systems are providing backup renewable energy at peak electricity demand times. The island is a popular tourist spot and requires backup power usually for long weekends and other holiday periods. Originally the backup power was provided by diesel generators but now the island grid relies less on diesel. The battery owners can sell their extra power back to the grid using Reposit’s energy management software. For example, a retired couple have sold $180 worth of power back to the grid in their first four months on the trial. The plan is to eventually have 35 home batteries supporting the island grid.

For more information please see these two articles from One Step Off the Grid, August, 2017

     - Bruny Island trials “electricity grid of the future”, by David Rose
     - Bruny retirees love their solar power, by David Rose
Also the project wins an award: Local partnership wins Clean Energy Council Award. SERREE, August 2018.

China to begin paying farmers to convert livestock waste to fuel and fertilisers

In a move to reduce agricultural pollution, the government of China will begin paying farmers to convert the waste from intensive livestock farming into fuel and fertilisers. The farmers will be given an incentive to create animal waste processing facilities in order to prevent the release of dangerous pollutants into rivers and lakes. The plan is to treat the manure to make fertiliser and to install biogas plants to capture methane for electricity or heat generation.

For more information read the Full Article by James Ayre,  Clean Technica, August 31 2017.

Community retailer Enova to buy and sell renewable energy

"Australia’s first community-owned energy retailer, the Northern Rivers NSW-based Enova Energy, will soon offer customers locally generated rooftop solar power, as part of its goal of producing enough renewable electricity to meet all of its customers’ needs.......

Everyone can now join the solar revolution. If you’re living in an apartment, or you’re renting, or perhaps can’t afford the initial upfront investment in solar panels, then you can still join the solar revolution.”

For more information read the whole article at One Step off the Grid

By Sophie Vorrath on 4 Sept 2017