Solar Power

[Leonie]

Solar Power
Leonie Parker © 2010

We bought a new fangled inverter,
and put panels on top of the house.
They told me our bills would be greatly reduced
and I said, “You beauty, that’s grouse.”

The Government said they would pay us,
and to my amazement they did!
Not only would bills now be greatly reduced,
we could sell a bit back to the grid.

I think that’s what started this weather,
‘cause I haven’t seen the sun since,
and maybe our bills will be greatly reduced
but I’m a bit hard to convince.

They told me to look on the bright side.
Some needed the rain without doubt.
I don’t think our bills will be greatly reduced
but at least we have broken the drought.

Later …

I’m afraid it will never stop raining
and sadly I think it’s our fault.
If we forego bills that are greatly reduced
I wonder if he’ll call a halt.

[r.magnay]

....you're a card Leonie! good stuff mate.

[Zondrae]

Leonie,

If this is a true story - we are in the same boat. We had our panels installed on 30th September and were connected up on 4th October. Our next bill came last week and was the same as before but we have had a letter stating that we are hooked up and locked in at .68c and it will take a while for their system (office work) to catch up with the new rates etc. As well as that we have had at least two full weeks of rain.

Oh well, at least some of my Christmas Lights are working on solar.

[Leonie]

Yeah, it is a true story, and it gets worse. Whenever we do get five minutes of sunshine the inverter trips out and stops working. We have been waiting four weeks for someone to come out and replace it. And to add insult to injury we have been waiting four months for someone to change the meter so we can eventually sell the excess back to the grid, not that we're actually making any excess, (or any at all for that matter), at the moment.

Whenever we ring about the meter we get the runaround. The supplier says it's not their job to change the meter it's our electricity supplier's job. They say they didn't receive the paperwork and can't do anything until they do. We ring the supplier back and they say they sent it and on and on it goes. It seems that whenever a Government subsidy is in place whatever they are subsidising gets four times more expensive and takes forever to get sorted.

[Maureen K Clifford]

Yes Leonie and it is raining again today - Heavily - but you know that.

Good luck with getting anything sorted at this time of year - it aint gonna happen but you know that too don't you?

Never mind Mate it will be sunny again soon and then you'll be right. Now what are you doing about water costs - see you should have put in two more water tanks which would now be full thus instantly saving you heaps of money - why didn't I think of that?

Send the poem which is great to your electricity supplier and the local paper and TV station - mountains might move

Cheers

Maureen

[Leonie]

We've got the water tanks, well one at least. We've got a second smaller one that will be connected to the shed one of these days. The connected one is overflowing nicely to add to the river that is running through the back yard. I never saw this much water when we had a 'real' river that ran through the backyard.

I don't know about the poem moving mountains, but stopping the direct debit monthly payment might make someone sit up and take notice.

[Maureen K Clifford]

Yep - Hip Pocket Philosophy is always good - most people seem to get the gist of that one straight away

[Zondrae]

Well girls,

at least we are trying to do the right thing by our blessed Earth. I have a large tank connected to the house. We have a pump and use the hose with this system for the veggie garden and when the car absolutely has to be washed.

As this is an old house it is not fitted with the laundry/toilet system to use tank/mains water. Only collects half the roof though. Then we also have 2x 200 litre in tandum, barrel type tanks that serve the flower garden. I do this with a bucket and watering can. When it gets so bad that I have to water it usually takes me half an hour or more. We never put water on the grass. (it is grass not lawn - the difference - one has to be kept neatly groomed all the time). These barrels only catch the car port but are always full. (well at least half full) With just the two of us and three chooks, we don't use much water. We are trained to have quick showers from living in the country and having only tank water.

[Terry]

G/day Leonie,
They're saying we may get a few drops here to-morrow, but that it will be 38 on Christmas day.
I use solar power in the bush, way to go, Hey!

Cheers Terry