December solar update

I‘m going to keep reading the electricity meter and the inverter on a daily basis until I’ve had solar for a full year. That way I’ll be able to see just what it’s doing for me throughout each of the seasons. So I thought I’d do a monthly solar update here for anyone who’s interested.

It’s been two full months since the meter was reconfigured to show how much electricity I’m exporting to the grid. I’m not counting what was exported before that because I was only calculating it, as I had no meter readings to go on and it turns out I was calculating it wrongly (it’s involved so I won’t bore you with the details). You definitely need those meter readings.

I’ll put all the previous month’s data in with the current month so that comparisons can be made easily without looking back to previous posts. Easier for me too, as it will all be in the one place, although I have it all on a spreadsheet as well.

So….off we go.

November 2013
Note: these are daily averages for the month

Power imported from the grid = 5.4 kWh

Import cost @ 25.14 cents per kWh = $1.37

Generated power = 18.1 kWh

Exported power = 15.1 kWh

Credit for exported power @ 8 cents per kWh = $1.15

Generated power actually used in the home = 3 kWh

December 2013
Note: these are daily averages for the month

Power imported from the grid = 5.1 kWh

Import cost @ 25.14 cents per kWh = $1.27

Generated power = 18.6 kWh

Exported power = 16.2 kWh

Credit for exported power @ 8 cents per kWh = $1.30

Generated power actually used in the home = 2.4 kWh

Notes:

Power imported from the grid = extra power I need to take from the grid when the panels aren’t operating or when they’re not providing enough.

Import cost @ 25.14 cents per kWh = what I pay for imported power.

Generated power = what the panels produce each day.

Exported power = power produced by the panels which is not used in the house.

Credit for exported power @ 8 cents per kWh = what I’m paid for the excess power I generate.

Generated power actually used in the home = the difference between what the panels produce and what goes to the grid.

More notes:

I don’t use much in the house. Most of what the panels generate goes to the grid. This is OK if you get paid a decent whack for it. Eight cents is not a decent whack! Blame the government, as always. They set the credits. Power retailers would give you nothing if they could get away with it. I should be using more in the house. That way I’m saving 25 cents per kWh, i.e money I don’t have to pay out for imported power.

These are the summer months, so I expect generation from the panels to be pretty good. I’ve always said winter will be another story. But it occurred to me that if I’m only using 3 kWh or so in the house, then that’s all the panels have to produce in winter, too  (a bit more perhaps). So maybe it won’t be such a difference after all.