Taking steps to reduce your usage is good for your wallet and the environment. We’ve compiled some information to help you feel equipped in managing your energy usage.
The first step is to understand the appliances you have at your property and how much electricity they take to run. Energy.gov.au provides a breakdown of consumption in the average Australian household:
Electricity usage tends to change seasonally. Many consumers find that their electricity usage increases during winter and summer due to heating and cooling.
According to Sustainability.vic.gov.au, you can take various actions to reduce your heating and cooling costs by:
Water heating uses up to 25% of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of the average Australian home.
Consider whether upgrading any old an inefficient appliances is a worthwhile long-term investment for you. This will depend on the type of appliance and the extent of its energy consumption in your home. For example, replacing an old hot water system is likely to more significantly reduce electricity usage than replacing a small kitchen appliance.
Installing a smart meter at your property can also give you a better understanding of your household’s overall electricity consumption patterns and help you cut out excess usage where possible.
You can request a smart meter installation or find out more about smart meters here.
If you already have a smart meter* or plan to have one installed shortly, you can monitor your usage through MyAccount.
Many Australians have installed solar to limit the electricity they purchase from the grid. Energy.gov.au states that “Australia has the highest uptake of solar globally, with around 30% of homes with rooftop solar PV” in 2022.
Whilst feed-in credits are paid for any home solar generation that is exported to the grid, the real savings typically emerge from optimising usage within the home to use electricity from the solar system rather than from the grid.
Additionally, home battery installations are becoming increasingly popular and accessible. A battery stores excess solar generation for use when the solar system is not generating sufficient electricity to power the home, thereby further reducing reliance on purchasing from the grid.
Consider which appliances can be run on timers or scheduled to come on when the solar system is generating.
Trees and other nearby obstructions directly impact the generation from solar panels. Trimming trees can improve sun exposure for the solar panels by allowing more direct sunlight to reach them.
Over time, solar panels can accumulate dust, dirt, pollen, bird droppings, leaves, and other debris, which create a layer on the surface of the panels. This can greatly reduce the efficiency of your solar system and cause a decrease to its overall electricity generation. Many solar installers provide cleaning services at a relatively low cost. The combination of an annual, professional, system cleaning and operational check can be a great way to maximize your solar system performance.
Keep track of your solar system’s performance by monitoring its energy output. Many solar systems come with monitoring software to track the power production. Customers with remotely-read, interval meters can view solar export via Diamond Energy’s MyAccount portal.
Solar panels require maintenance around every two years to ensure they are operating as effectively as possible. If you notice a significant decrease to your solar generation or any damage, contact your solar and battery provider/s to help fix the issue.
As a long-term innovator in renewable energy retail and generation, we are proud to participate in the ever-advancing uptake of solar and battery systems by hosting several battery programs and VPP (Virtual Power Plant) initiatives. Our VPP initiatives are designed to champion the collective benefits of battery technology, which is expected to play a major role in Australia’s energy transition1.
Through VPP community sharing of solar generation, customers can be a part of our renewable generation portfolio and help us to manage energy load across our customer base. Find more information about our innovative VPP solutions here.
There are a number of government assistance schemes to support the uptake of solar and battery. Available rebates and grants vary by state, so we suggest visiting Energy.gov.au to find up-to-date information on rebates and grants that you may be eligible for.
Home solar generation and storage allow customers to fulfil a portion of their property’s energy requirements with generation from the solar system instead of buying it from the grid. We believe that it is most cost-effective to use solar generation rather than exporting it to the grid and paying more for equivalent grid usage than what you may earn in solar feed-in credits. A battery stores any excess solar generation for use later instead of immediately exporting it, further reducing the need to purchase from the grid.
There are two ways that solar can reduce your electricity bills. The first is by using electricity from the solar system instead of buying it from the grid, particularly during peak demand times. The second is by earning credits on your bill (feed in credits) for excess solar energy that you don’t use.
No. While solar and battery systems can reduce your electricity costs, you will still receive a regular bill that includes any grid usage and daily supply charges. Some battery programs may also involve fees for using power from the battery as part of paying off the solar and battery system if you don’t own it outright, which may appear on your bill.
No, we are not a solar and/or battery seller/installer. The Clean Energy Council has an online tool to help you find an accredited installer in your area.
Please contact us or submit a smart meter request to ensure that your meter will be solar-compatible. In most cases, we need to arrange a meter upgrade or reconfiguration for solar, depending on the existing electricity metering at your property.
If you are an existing Diamond Energy customer and installing solar, please contact us.
If you are not yet a customer, you’ll need to join us first before we can arrange any meter upgrade works. Alternatively, you can choose to get the works done by your current retailer before joining us.
If you have a basic or other network-owned meter, it is important that your solar system remains offline until the meter upgrade is completed. Otherwise, interim usage reads may be inaccurate and subsequently estimated by your distributor, which may lead to an unexpected high bill. There is no way to recover estimated reads in these circumstances.
We’re excited about the opportunity batteries present to accelerate a renewable future. We believe that your support can help us continue to innovate to bring the benefits of batteries to customers and support renewable energy. If you’re thinking of installing a battery or already have one, you can get some added value from your battery through one of our battery programs or Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) (subject to eligibility). More information available here.
There are range of factors to consider when thinking about a battery. We would recommend that you first discuss with a solar / battery installer the process of installing a battery.
We recommend that the starting point is to assess your energy needs, both today and into the future. For example, how much electricity are you using from the grid and how would a battery help you reduce this? Consider if there are ways you can shift more of your usage to when the solar system is generating without a battery.
You may also want to consider the efficiency of your appliances (see our Understand Your Usage tips) and if these appliances have access to the solar generation. We would also recommend checking the stipulations for batteries and government supported Tariffs. If you do decide that a battery is right for you, you may be able to get some added value from your battery through one of our battery programs or Virtual Power Plants (VPPS) (subject to eligibility).
*A remotely read, interval meter.
