Some Australian states are set to get a free electricity period every day

2 comments

1. The “expert” they cited is a moron:

   > Goanna Energy principal consultant Marc White said cheaper power during one part of the day could lead to higher prices at others.

   > “To some extent yes, pushing down prices at one period will inflate prices at another period,” he said.

   This is completely wrong. Wholesale prices at the middle of the day are already well below zero, meaning there is excess energy (substantially more supply than demand).

   If demand which normally falls at peak times instead shifts to middle of the day (non-peak) where there is excess energy, this reduces the price at the peaks (less demand, same supply), not increases it. Eventually if enough people do this then the middle of the day demand increases to the point the price is no longer zero (more demand, same supply), but until that time, everyone wins except the suppliers who were making bank on selling middle of the day electricity for a meaningful price to customers while being paid by the wholesale to take it.

2. Time to go buy a battery, likely the whole point of this. Distributed energy storage is kinda staring us in the face waiting to be asked to dance.

   I will need someone to explain to me what spruiking is. Sounds vaguely dirty.

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