While Amber for Batteries is all about smart automation, it’s important to remember you’ve also got control over how this automation works, via your choice of automation mode.
Once you're onboarded to the SmartShift™ battery automation, you can change your preferred battery mode in the SmartShift™ battery automation settings page.
The main difference between the two optimisation strategies, is in how aggressively the algorithm attempts to pursue savings opportunities. When generating a battery management plan for the system, the Earnings Optimiser mode assumes the battery has a larger discharge budget (2 cycles per day) while Battery Booster assumes it only allows 1 cycle per day. As these plans are updated regularly this doesn't mean the battery will necessarily cycle 2 times per day - it just means the optimisation model is afforded more flexibility to pursue savings opportunities during more volatile pricing periods. There are also lower intervention thresholds for Earnings Optimiser relative to Battery Booster.
Battery Booster
In Battery Booster mode, SmartShift™ prioritises maintaining your stored battery power, only exporting when there’s a significant premium to be made.
Your battery looks for opportunities to cheap charge your battery from the grid, so you’ll have cheap green energy stored when you need it - however, the price threshold at which it will charge is higher than in Earnings Optimiser.
Forecast FiTs have to be higher than they are in Earnings Optimiser for your battery to feed into the grid.
Earnings optimiser
This mode is all about getting you maximum value for your battery’s energy. Use your battery to its fullest by buying cheap green grid energy and selling it back to the grid at peak times when it needs it most.
In Earnings Optimiser, your battery pays close attention to changes in wholesale energy prices, continuously hunting for opportunities to make the most of price fluctuations.
This assertive mode is all about getting you maximum value for your battery’s energy and will allow your battery to be charged and discharged up to twice per day (though this does not happen very often).
The price threshold at which your battery will charge from the grid is higher and the FiT at which it will discharge to the grid is lower than in Battery Booster, meaning interaction with the grid could happen more times throughout the day. The goal is to earn you more from your energy set-up and drive down your costs.
Please note that when generating an energy management plan for this mode, SmartShift assume your battery is allowed to cycle (fully discharge) twice in one day. This may impact your battery's warranty, so we recommend reaching out to your battery customer support directly if you have any concerns regarding being a part of a battery optimisation program and warranty.
Comments
Hi Alison and all,
Can you switch between Battery Booster and Earning Optimiser? For example, give one setting a run for 3 months and then change to the other for 3 months.
Kind regards
Steve
Hi Steve - yes you can! You can switch really easily and as often as you want.
Thanks Alison
Hi
We have a capped daily feed in of 5kwh
Would earnings optimiser not be as effective for us?
If there is sufficient PV to charge the battery AND provide the power to run the house, why woud Amber look for lower price ranges to charge the battery when PV cost is $0.00. We are able to run off-grid often for weeks at a time.
Mark
Is there a battery simulator which would calculate the the $$ benefits of having a battery and also calculate a ROI for the battery
My daily usage went from 1-2 dollars a day to 6 dollars a day after registering the batteries have tried to contact to discuss but have had no response by email or phone. And it doesn’t seem to be using my battery when they are charging 60c kw when my battery is full
There are some major shortcomings when the PV capacity is able to charge your battery easily and also provide the bulk of the power needed to run the house during the day.
It buys power when PV power is available at maximum battery charging rate for $0 (zero cost).
This also can increase the monthly facility charges which are based on the highest download rate for the month .
So far I have to control my system manually and have it off grid except when selling power to the grid (Feed in).
So far I have had no satisfactory response to my related questions raised over the last 3 months.
Very disappointing!!!
Mark Gardner
Article is closed for comments.