Making the most of wholesale prices when you have solar

Use as much of your solar as you can

If you use most of your solar generation within your home, then your feed-in tariff is less important than your usage rate. In these situations, getting the cheapest usage rate for those times you need to use energy outside of when your solar is generating is important.

Since wholesale prices are low on average, Amber offers a great solution for solar homes that fit into this 'net importer' (vs. 'net exporter') category.

Switch your controlled load over to solar

Many Aussie homeowners have traditionally taken advantage of controlled load tariffs to reduce their energy costs. Controlled loads allow you to run high-energy usage appliances like hot water heaters or pool pumps on a separately metered circuit at non-peak times. This allows you to run them for a lower cost electricity rate than you get for the rest of the energy you use in your home.

While controlled load tariffs can help reduce energy costs, for solar homes, there's an ever-increasing case to be made for moving away from controlled load tariffs to run your high energy appliances off your solar instead.

With daytime feed-in tariffs dropping so low (occasionally falling into negative territory when there's an abundance of renewables in the grid) using your own solar becomes far more valuable than sending it into the grid.

Your electric hot water heater can become like a solar sponge during the times when your solar is generating, using up your free renewable energy so you can avoid using energy from the grid to run your appliances later.

Read more here

Set timers on your heavy usage appliances

If you don't already have a controlled load and would like to run your appliances as a solar sponge, you can simply add a timer to those devices and set them to run during the solar window (when solar is generating). 

Got an EV or thinking about getting one?

If you've got an EV or are thinking about getting one, this is a fantastic way to use more of your solar if you have the flexibility to charge it during the day. 

You can either just plug in while your solar is generating or take advantage of Amber for EVs smart EV charging optimisation.

With Amber for EVs, it's easy to charge from your excess solar only - matching your car's charge rate to the amount of excess solar available so you get more free kilometres out of your own solar energy - or if your solar falls short, you can top up from the grid when energy prices are cheap and power in the grid is green. 

Unlike with other solutions, you don't need to install a solar-capable charger or have a Powerwall necessarily to take advantage of these charging smarts. It's all software-based and managed for you by Amber, as part of your subscription. 

Consider solar curtailment

Short of simply using as much of your solar as you can, if you have a compatible solar inverter, you can take advantage of Amber's solar curtailment offering.

Head to the Devices tab in the Amber app to enrol your solar system for curtailment. When this happens, your generation will be curtailed - or stopped - when the wholesale feed-in tariff turns negative due to an over-abundance of solar energy in the grid. This will help to keep your average FiT higher as you will not be penalised by the grid for exporting energy when the FiT goes negative. 

When it might be time to look at other options

If you export a lot more power than you use, then your FiT will be a significant component of your bill. In these cases, prioritising finding a high FiT with another provider during the spring season might be your most sensible option.

Just had solar installed?

Make sure you let us know so we can get your solar configured and ensure you get the FiT you're owed for your solar. You can learn more here. 

Not yet got solar but considering it?

This article from Chris, our CEO, has some great pointers on things to think about before you make the switch.