Solar Upgrade AGAIN

[Halcyon]

How does electrical billing work there?  We got net metering just in the nick of time.  It's gone away in California.  We have 27 kW-hr of batteries because I'm concerned about grid stability here.  Without EV's we can make all of our power.  We have two EV's now so that requires us to pull off the grid.

The provider is forcing me to get a smart meter, which presumably puts me on a time based pricing system. Currently it's fixed.
Grid stability is simply not an issue in Sydney.

They should be able to tell you which tariff you'll be on. Just because you switch meters, surely they can't just force you onto time-of-use?

I deliberately wanted to switch over to time-of-use (I only pay peak pricing between 1600-2000hrs weekdays, all other times are off-peak) and it was a nightmare that took many months. I first had to get a smart meter, that was step one, but then when I did, Energy Australia just went "computer says no". Eventually the energy distributer fixed it and I was able to switch to another retailer that offered time-of-use rates. I was warned however, once I switch to TOU, I can't switch back to a fixed rate.

Ultimately, on any reasonably sunny day, I don't pay anything during peak time at all. On really cloudy days, my batteries are configured to charge off the grid between 1400-1600 to get them to 100% so I can offset the higher cost of power later in the day if the solar isn't doing much. I'm saving a significant amount by switching to TOU, which is currently 25.5c/kWh (including GST).

[EEVblog]

They should be able to tell you which tariff you'll be on. Just because you switch meters, surely they can't just force you onto time-of-use?

It's Energy Australia that is forcing the change, they own the lines and meters so they can do what they want.
My retailer (currently AGL) may or may not care it's bene changed. I'm a new fixed rate contract, so I presume that stays unless I ask for a change to a variable rate once the new meter goes in.

[EEVblog]

Installer said I don't have to upgrade the existing 4sq mm copper from the old 3kW Sunnyboy inverter, it'll still be able to do 5kW using that, just need to upgrade the fuses from 20A to 25A
New panels delivered this morning. Now all I have to do is choose a battery...

[Halcyon]

They should be able to tell you which tariff you'll be on. Just because you switch meters, surely they can't just force you onto time-of-use?

It's Energy Australia that is forcing the change, they own the lines and meters so they can do what they want.
My retailer (currently AGL) may or may not care it's bene changed. I'm a new fixed rate contract, so I presume that stays unless I ask for a change to a variable rate once the new meter goes in.

That's my understanding. I haven't heard them forcing people over to TOU when you're on fixed. In relation to the meter itself, the "Competition in metering" rules means that all new meters from December 2017 must be smart meters (or "advanced" meters, whatever that means). They've then palmed that responsibility over to the retailers. https://www.aemc.gov.au/energy-system/electricity/electricity-system/metering

In my case, when I was with EA, I requested the change to the tariff, filled out all their paperwork and eventually was told that they "can't" make the change because the system didn't allow it for existing customers. I said, OK well delete my account and start over, they "couldn't" do that either. It went through all kinds of managers and they eventually told me to change retailers, so I did.

Anyway, since then, I've switched over to Red Energy, not only are they much cheaper, the money stays in Australia instead of finding its way back to the "CLP Group".