The totally off-topic thread

[Flashback]

Interesting way to end the day... Huge Republic of Ireland vote for gay marriage - BBC News

 

[penegal]

Haven't been online for a while and there is so much stuff to catch up on.

How do you guys do it? Or don't you do any work when you're at work?

 

[cambriamarsh]

Haven't been online for a while and there is so much stuff to catch up on.

How do you guys do it? Or don't you do any work when you're at work?

Welcome back, even the casual readers like me missed you.

 

[amaroo]

Blind Freddy worked this out years ago Cost of household solar has outweighed benefits: Grattan Institute report

The cost of installing and maintaining more than one million household solar power systems has outweighed their benefit by more than $9 billion, a new report has found.

And by the time generous federal and state government subsidies run out, households without solar will have subsidised those that have made the switch to the tune of $14 billion.

The Grattan Institute report, to be published Monday, says government incentives and rebates that have encouraged the uptake of household solar have "created a policy mess that should never be repeated".

 

[JohnK]

Nice weekend in the land of the long white cloud.

 

[medhead]

Gotta laugh. just seen a suitcase, that's at least 160cm linear dimensions, wheeled down the aisle, not carried, and then shortly after wheeled back up the aisle by an FA.

 

[Mal]

Blind Freddy worked this out years ago Cost of household solar has outweighed benefits: Grattan Institute report

Cannot agree more. The BS subsidies being offered in various states were a joke, the rollback somewhat correcting it, but solar at the home is not the answer.

 

[cove]

Solar has been helpful in cutting our power usage across Australia in multiple buildings by more than $100k a year. We will have all of the money we spent on systems recouped by next year. Most paybacks have been about 2.5 years. Once storage technology becomes worthwhile there will be a further investment opportunity but it isn't ready at the moment.
We are doing a new one for a long term tenant as it will keep our building competitive.
Of course some State Governments stuffed up by offering overly generous feed in rates but we did not qualify for any of that. What we did was wait for the system prices to drop.
Basically we work sunlight hours.

 

[TomVexille]

Solar has been helpful in cutting our power usage across Australia in multiple buildings by more than $100k a year. We will have all of the money we spent on systems recouped by next year. Most paybacks have been about 2.5 years. Once storage technology becomes worthwhile there will be a further investment opportunity but it isn't ready at the moment.

With the current tech, you can now go off the grid for ~$20k outlay

 

[cove]

Yes Tom that price is not attractive so far but with so many researchers working on the issue the cost of storage should drop fairly quickly.

 

[medhead]

Demand forced down the price of solar systems? Who knew markets worked like that?

 

[whatmeworry]

Blind Freddy worked this out years ago Cost of household solar has outweighed benefits: Grattan Institute report

Cannot agree more. The BS subsidies being offered in various states were a joke, the rollback somewhat correcting it, but solar at the home is not the answer.

Solar has been helpful in cutting our power usage across Australia in multiple buildings by more than $100k a year. We will have all of the money we spent on systems recouped by next year. Most paybacks have been about 2.5 years. Once storage technology becomes worthwhile there will be a further investment opportunity but it isn't ready at the moment.
We are doing a new one for a long term tenant as it will keep our building competitive.
Of course some State Governments stuffed up by offering overly generous feed in rates but we did not qualify for any of that. What we did was wait for the system prices to drop.
Basically we work sunlight hours.

With the current tech, you can now go off the grid for ~$20k outlay

Elon Musk will soon release batteries for home and small batteries.

The Powerwall battery charging system, which can be stacked up to nine batteries high and mounted on an inner garage wall or outside, costs $3,000 for a 7-kilowatt-hour system and $3,500 for the 10 kWh option. The entire Powerwall system is roughly 3 feet wide and 4 feet long, and would stick out about 7 inches once mounted. It could easily take a home off the power grid, especially with the use of many solar panels, Musk said.

Tesla's Elon Musk Unveils Solar Batteries for Homes and Small Businesses - Scientific American

 

[cove]

If only it worked for petrol, diesel and auto gas medhead. I am hoping that Costco break up the Coles and Woolies fuel cartel sooner rather than later.

 

[cove]

Yes Musk may go bust or hit a home run with battery storage. Need a time machine to check this out properly. It will be clearer by 2025.

 

[whatmeworry]

If only it worked for petrol, diesel and auto gas medhead. I am hoping that Costco break up the Coles and Woolies fuel cartel sooner rather than later.

Well if you bought an Electric car, a charge would cost $2, or couple that with home batteries from Tesla and drive for free (Of course after initial cost).

 

[cove]

One of our U.S. suppliers charge their electric cars and carts off a solar array during the day. It will become possible to use batteries to do this overnight.
A Tesla looks pretty good but the market is not swamping them with orders.

 

[medhead]

If only it worked for petrol, diesel and auto gas medhead. I am hoping that Costco break up the Coles and Woolies fuel cartel sooner rather than later.

One really funny thing is there's a Coles servo on prospect road at Blair athol (adelaide) that seems to be consistently 10cents cheaper than anywhere else. I paid 80-something cents per litre after 10 cent discount earlier this year. Radio said they were $1.17 yesterday.

 

[cove]

Wow medhead we had fuel from $1.30 this weekend and the 98 octane I use is much higher in Perth.

 

[medhead]

It's only 15 minutes drive from my place but due to poor planning I ended up just paying $1.27 on the weekend. Most servos ranged from there to $1.35 for 91. 98 was $1.49

 

[Bindibuys]

Work pays for my diesel/petrol, so I must say I have no idea what is being charged, only looking for a Caltex outlet