EV Energy plans - NSW

[richardnau]

Greetings.

Two things happened last week:

• I took delivery of my new M3
• PowerShop wrote to tell me that they are cutting my feed-in tariff in half.

Time to look for a good EV-supporting energy plan.

PowerShop's plan has almost no benefits for an EV owner.

OVO's plan looks great (8c/kWh between 0000 and 0600, 0c/kWh between 1100 and 1400). But I can't join it. I have 14kW of panels on the roof (feeding a 10kW three-phase inverter). OVO imposes an arbitrary limit of 5kW on installed panels (not even inverter output) in NSW. This is FAR lower than in any other state. My installation makes me ineligible for the plan.

Next most attractive appears to be AGL. Same overnight discount hours and rate as OVO. No freebie in the middle of the day. 7c/kWh FiT. I can't find any relevant limit on the size of my solar system. This looks like it's probably the choice.

Any NSW EV owners have better ideas or experiences?

Thanks.

 

[Borgy]

Depends on your other power usage. Ev plans are not always the best option. Eg. OVO stings you with higher rates for the other times. Powershop stings you with peak period all year around, For us our ev is only about 1/3 of the energy use. so the other 2/3 means the ev plans are not the greatest. With amber and our average rate all in last 6 months (inc fees daily charges solar exports etc..) is 19.5c, powershop ev plan for the previous 10 was hovering around 22c. (FYI in NSW on Ausgrid network)

 

[Hairyman]

I’m with PowerShop too. They do have a couple of EV tariffs with 5c FiT but one has 2 hours of free power in the middle of the day and the other has cheap power from 0000-0400. Of note on those tariffs there is no automatic carbon offset for the non-renewable power that is used. You have to but the offset for another 5.5c/kWh.

I have been with them for ages, so I’m hunting around too.

Earlier someone had suggested the WattEver website as a useful comparison service.

I’m also over (just) 5kW of panels so OVO is out for me.

I’ll go hunting and also keep an eye on this thread.

 

[jamesgo]

Just check the daily supply fee on most of these plans cause that's the killer on most of them.

 

[Max Spaghetti]

Next most attractive appears to be AGL. Same overnight discount hours and rate as OVO. No freebie in the middle of the day. 7c/kWh FiT. I can't find any relevant limit on the size of my solar system. This looks like it's probably the choice.

I would suggest that if you have 14kW of panels, you don't really need the free 3 hours in the middle of the day because you'll be either charging your Tesla off your own solar or exporting at that time of day (cloud permitting). AGL was better than OVO in my area because the tariff the rest of the day was way better (7c better). The free hours are beneficial for those without solar, because they can soak up other peoples excess solar for free.

Every distribution area (within the state) varies widely on what they offer, so you can only look at the plans in your distribution area and compare.

 

[Borgy]

I’m also over (just) 5kW of panels so OVO is out for me.

OVO won't have a clue, like a 6.6kw system with a 5kw inverter, just signup if you feel this is a good plan.

Just check the daily supply fee on most of these plans cause that's the killer on most of them.

For low usage this becomes a larger factor.

 

[sammody]

OVO won't have a clue, like a 6.6kw system with a 5kw inverter, just signup if you feel this is a good plan.

On a couple of fb groups it’s been mentioned from some that ovo somehow has found out (not sure how) and kicked them off the plan.

 

[richardnau]

On a couple of fb groups it’s been mentioned from some that ovo somehow has found out (not sure how) and kicked them off the plan.

Well, I guess that if I'm exporting 8-9kW (which I sometimes do), that would be a giveaway!

 

[richardnau]

I would suggest that if you have 14kW of panels, you don't really need the free 3 hours in the middle of the day because you'll be either charging your Tesla off your own solar or exporting at that time of day (cloud permitting). AGL was better than OVO in my area because the tariff the rest of the day was way better (7c better). The free hours are beneficial for those without solar, because they can soak up other peoples excess solar for free.

Every distribution area (within the state) varies widely on what they offer, so you can only look at the plans in your distribution area and compare.

I thought that (in winter) the middle of the day period would be useful to ensure that the house battery is full for the afternoon/evening... Otherwise, you are correct, the free stuff in the middle of the day is of lesser value.

 

[richardnau]

OVO won't have a clue, like a 6.6kw system with a 5kw inverter, just signup if you feel this is a good plan.

This seems to be a pretty true statement. No-one measure solar output based on panels... except Ovo. And 5kW of panels would be smaller than just about every new installation in the last couple of years.

Methinks it's greenwashing: we don't really want solar customers at all, but we'll include solar in the plan and then hide behind some fine print.

 

[Max Spaghetti]

I guess if OVO are giving away free power at peak solar, they'd rather be getting paid to give it away by buying wholesale at negative rates rather than paying you a FIT. So maybe they are trying to minimise FIT's by imposing a solar limit. Only guessing.

 

[sammody]

Looks like the agl option might be your way ahead. But do the sums, compare with other providers. Good luck!

 

[Borgy]

Well, I guess that if I'm exporting 8-9kW (which I sometimes do), that would be a giveaway!

Unless your 11kw system is hooked up to a energy meter and you can set a 5kw export limit. Then ovo would never know and you can still self consume the rest.

 

[B3AU]

Greetings.

Two things happened last week:

• I took delivery of my new M3
• PowerShop wrote to tell me that they are cutting my feed-in tariff in half.

Time to look for a good EV-supporting energy plan.

PowerShop's plan has almost no benefits for an EV owner.

OVO's plan looks great (8c/kWh between 0000 and 0600, 0c/kWh between 1100 and 1400). But I can't join it. I have 14kW of panels on the roof (feeding a 10kW three-phase inverter). OVO imposes an arbitrary limit of 5kW on installed panels (not even inverter output) in NSW. This is FAR lower than in any other state. My installation makes me ineligible for the plan.

Next most attractive appears to be AGL. Same overnight discount hours and rate as OVO. No freebie in the middle of the day. 7c/kWh FiT. I can't find any relevant limit on the size of my solar system. This looks like it's probably the choice.

Any NSW EV owners have better ideas or experiences?

Thanks.

We're with OVO - we signed up when it first launched and there was a 30kW limit on solar export in NSW.
Then 3 days after we started with OVO, they changed to have a 5kW limit.
They tried to take us off the EV plan as we have >5kW solar a few months down the track - thankfully we had the OG contract that was signed with the 30kW limit and they've let us stay.

Though it's gone from 10c FIT & 8c from 12am-6am - to 8c FIT, 8c from 12am-6am and 0c from 11am-2pm as of last week.

By the way - AGL have a limit of 10kW too.

https://www.agl.com.au/rates-contracts/information-for-solar-customers

To be eligible for AGL’s solar feed-in-tariff, the inverter capacity of your solar system must not exceed, or must be export limited to, 10kW.

Full T&Cs for NSW - https://www.agl.com.au/solarterms

a small photovoltaic generator which has an inverter capacity of no more than (or is export limited to) 10kW that complies with, and is installed and connected in a manner that complies with any safety, technical or metering requirements prescribed under the NSW Electricity Act or any other relevant law, regulations, codes or guidelines.

The solar feed in terms that are linked from the EV Plan page - https://www.agl.com.au/residential/energy/electric-vehicles/electric-vehicle-plan - are for Victoria

OVO won't have a clue, like a 6.6kw system with a 5kw inverter, just signup if you feel this is a good plan.


For low usage this becomes a larger factor.

On a couple of fb groups it’s been mentioned from some that ovo somehow has found out (not sure how) and kicked them off the plan.

Well, I guess that if I'm exporting 8-9kW (which I sometimes do), that would be a giveaway!

For what it's worth, this is what the email from OVO had when they tried to kick us off

We have reviewed your solar export and believe your system is above the solar system size limit set out in our terms (clause 10.2), see OVO Energy | Market Contract | Legal bits

In New South Wales a system must be less than 5kW of solar PV panels.

As we believe your system is too big, you are not eligible for The EV Plan and in accordance with clause 4.5 (g) of our Market Retail Contract, we are terminating your Contract on 27th December 2023 giving you the required 20 business days notice.

If you believe your system is less than the solar system size limit please email us at [email protected] with proof your system is below the threshold.

 

[B3AU]

I would suggest that if you have 14kW of panels, you don't really need the free 3 hours in the middle of the day because you'll be either charging your Tesla off your own solar or exporting at that time of day (cloud permitting). AGL was better than OVO in my area because the tariff the rest of the day was way better (7c better). The free hours are beneficial for those without solar, because they can soak up other peoples excess solar for free.

Every distribution area (within the state) varies widely on what they offer, so you can only look at the plans in your distribution area and compare.

Yes, the 'free' 11am-2pm isn't really 'free' as you'll be consuming your solar before importing anyway!
Good on cloudy days (or when you really want to cool the house with the ducted for 8c - the FIT - but otherwise it's not exactly "free"!

 

[jamesgo]

You should join Amber then... most of the really sunny or windy days in that lunch period the prices are negative, so you get paid to charge the Powerwall and car

 

[Max Spaghetti]

Amber doesn't work for everyone. An automated system that takes advantage of battery may work well. I was with Amber for a while and did my sums over a 12 month period and I would have been significantly better off with a retail provider. In my distribution area (Vic) Amber rarely went negative, and quite often went high. Since I was theoretically paying wholesale plus a small margin, that probably means that retailers actually lose money on me. Oh well...

 

[cafz]

You should join Amber then... most of the really sunny or windy days in that lunch period the prices are negative, so you get paid to charge the Powerwall and car

Only really in SA and VIC (and sometimes Tassie) these days. Sustained negative prices are less frequent in NSW and QLD.

 

[Davemcd]

Yes, the 'free' 11am-2pm isn't really 'free' as you'll be consuming your solar before importing anyway!
Good on cloudy days (or when you really want to cool the house with the ducted for 8c - the FIT - but otherwise it's not exactly "free"!

Yes I do wonder if they change it in winter.. Now I am only getting 2-3kw free when the sun is out.
Although it changed my charging habit from 12am-6am to 11am-2pm when home.. So the other 2-3kw be coming from the solar in the street.

 

[Borgy]

You should join Amber then... most of the really sunny or windy days in that lunch period the prices are negative, so you get paid to charge the Powerwall and car

Not in nsw. Prices get low depending on your ausgrid tariff (which you can change and should ) costs about 10c kWh to import