There is a change in the air. As renewable energy rolls out, it is going to be more important to respond to fluctuations in supply to avoid having to unnecessarily overprovision for that supply. The traditional off peak times are an anachronism tied to the days when all our electric energy came from fossil fuels. Yet retailers still charge this way. Now the best time to buy energy can be in the middle of the day when the wholesale price can be as low as 5 cents/kWh.
In Sydney, I buy my power from [company name redacted] which gives me access to wholesale prices (12 cents on 15 February at 1045 hours) in exchange for a flat monthly flag fall) This requires a smart meter and an app but will be how electricity is consumed and billed for more people in the future.
The supply charge should be dealt with by a separate charge to the body corporate for supply only with each occupant being billed for their usage. Choosing the time unit occupants use higher load appliances is limited but there is scope nevertheless.
- This reply was modified 1 year, 7 months ago by .