The Model S is powerful, let's make that power sustainable

[timpoo]

Hi all

We all have different reasons for buying the Model S, whether it be technology, looks, power or the environment.

For me, the potential to have a car that is green and sustainable was one of the main reasons why I stretched my budget heavily to get the Model S.

However, as we all know, unless our electricity comes from renewable sources, our cars are not environmentally friendly.

That's why I've worked very hard over the past few months secure a great electricity option for all us enthusiasts in Victoria (NSW soon!). The great thing about this option is that even if you don't prioritise the environment, you can still probably save money anyway!

Powershop is the partner I've chosen,because:

• All their profits go back into renewable energy projects
• They have some of the cheapest electricity on the market (I'm currently paying around 19c/kw - anytime usage)
• They have a beautiful mobile app that allows you to monitor daily electricity usage so you can see how much it's costing you to charge your car
• They look after customers with solar panels
• They are one of the only major electricity retailers that support the current Renewable Energy Target
• No contracts

I know some of you are already with Powershop and I'm sure you can attest to how good they are.

I've worked with Powershop to offer all of you in Victoria:

• $80 sign up credit
• 20% off their standard electricity rate for the life of the account
• $75 payment for contract exit fees from your existing supplier - if necessary

The sign up credit is the most they've ever offered publicly, to anyone, because they recognise how important it is for there to be a big take up of electric cars in Australia.

I hope you don't mind me putting it in here, but I thought since we're going to be consuming a lot more electricity soon, knowing you're getting the best rate, and for it to be sustainable, was vitally important.

Sign up here: powershop :: Promo

If you have any questions, please feel free to post or PM.

Cheers
Tim

 

[mike_j]

I have been waiting a month for powershop to answer a billing query. Despite repeated follow ups.

 

[timpoo]

I have been waiting a month for powershop to answer a billing query. Despite repeated follow ups.

Sorry to hear that Mike - if you PM me, I can make sure someone looks at it straight away.

I don't work for them at all, but I know the guys there.

 

[Gabz]

Great work hopefully one day we'll have the power company that is willing to support something like this Our Electric Highway - For The Road - Ecotricity

Powershops green credentials are backed up by green peace The Green Electricity Guide

I just switched to click energy but will probably move to powershop when they expand into NSW. It looks like they are doing beta tests in NSW but i'm not sure how its going to work without the smart meters.

 

[Rodolfo Paiz]

However, as we all know, unless our electricity comes from renewable sources, our cars are not environmentally friendly.

Conventional wisdom, but wrong. Unless our electricity comes from renewable sources, our cars are not as environmentally friendly as they could be... but they're still going to be cleaner than most ICE vehicles even in the worst-grid case. And as our electricity generating and purchasing gets greener (as you're trying to do), so do the cars.

 

[Gabz]

Conventional wisdom, but wrong. Unless our electricity comes from renewable sources, our cars are not as environmentally friendly as they could be... but they're still going to be cleaner than most ICE vehicles even in the worst-grid case. And as our electricity generating and purchasing gets greener (as you're trying to do), so do the cars.

Victoria is majority brown coal so they are less cleaner than most ICE cars you should see the CO2 release rate for those power stations ! but that calculation doesn't include the power cost of refining oil to petrol/gas then the CO2 used to transport petrol/gas around the place. why Victoria still has brown coal power stations I don't know or understand... the carbon tax should of killed them but they where given too much in compensation IMHO.

Edit:
Numbers "Australian black coal-fired power stations was 0.95 kg carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt-hour sent out. For brown coal power stations it was 1.34 kg/kWh and for natural gas power stations it was 0.55 kg/kWh." -- http://www.theage.com.au/news/opinion/cutting-emissions-the-new-power-ploy/2007/03/11/1173548016344.html

Tesla 188 Wh/km brown coal 1.34 g/Wh
251.92 g/km
Commodore V6
9.0L/100km and 216g/km CO2.

 

[TesAus]

Whilst we are talking about renewable energy it is probably also worth noting that the government is all out to scrap the Renewable Energy Target which will have significant impacts upon renewable energy pricing and the RE industry.

If you haven't already done so please write to your Federal MP and encourage them not to vote for any reduction in the RET. There is a window of a few weeks to influence our elected representatives on this matter.

 

[timpoo]

Whilst we are talking about renewable energy it is probably also worth noting that the government is all out to scrap the Renewable Energy Target which will have significant impacts upon renewable energy pricing and the RE industry.

If you haven't already done so please write to your Federal MP and encourage them not to vote for any reduction in the RET. There is a window of a few weeks to influence our elected representatives on this matter.

Very true TesAus.

It's also another reason why we should support those companies that support the RET.

 

[doctorwho]

Tesla could help here by buying power for its Superchargers from renewable sources. It would also help if they could approach a provider like Powershop to ask for a group connection deal. Of course we can organise it individually but it would be a statement of environmental intent from a manufacturer that is keen to promote its environmental credentials in a coal powered country

 

[wpapua]

Tesla could help here by buying power for its Superchargers from renewable sources. It would also help if they could approach a provider like Powershop to ask for a group connection deal. Of course we can organise it individually but it would be a statement of environmental intent from a manufacturer that is keen to promote its environmental credentials in a coal powered country

Great idea, but I would imagine, pretty difficult to achieve a 'national' basis for Tesla, if our electrical retailers, eg Powershop, AGL, Origin, etc, don't cover the entire country. For what it is worth, we recently left Origin for Powershop, but on a new home build with solar PV, have gone with Diamond Energy because of their attractive feed-in-tariff (with future home energy storage in mind).

 

[doctorwho]

How much do Diamond pay for a FIT?

 

[timpoo]

Tesla could help here by buying power for its Superchargers from renewable sources. It would also help if they could approach a provider like Powershop to ask for a group connection deal. Of course we can organise it individually but it would be a statement of environmental intent from a manufacturer that is keen to promote its environmental credentials in a coal powered country

Hi Michael - the deal we've put together with Powershop is a group connection deal. You'll notice that it's better than anything you can get individually with Powershop at the moment for new connections. My aim for approaching them was to benefit all Tesla owners in VIC initially and nationally down the track. I think Tesla are generally hesitant to do partnerships unless it's company changing (Mercedes etc), and so didn't think they would go down this route.

I hope to speak to Tesla though about sourcing their electricity from renewable sources, and Powershop in particular down the track. It would certainly help if other Tesla owners felt the same way as you.

 

[Dborn]

Timpoo, can you put me on a waiting list with Powershop for when they get to NSW? I would like to be part of the "deal". if necessary, i will PM you with details.

 

[timpoo]

Timpoo, can you put me on a waiting list with Powershop for when they get to NSW? I would like to be part of the "deal". if necessary, i will PM you with details.

No problem, you'll be one of the first to know. I don't think it's too far away!

 

[MarcusKorn]

Timpoo, can you put me on a waiting list with Powershop for when they get to NSW? I would like to be part of the "deal". if necessary, i will PM you with details.

Same. We definitely need a nation-wide 'ecotricity' contender here.

 

[Mark E]

I'm interested and in Sydney metro (Ausgrid). I'm getting more annoyed with Energy Australia's approach and undermining the RET plus cutting my FIT isn't good. For my 2c though I'd also like to see non-time of day plans and retaining the controlled load plan (off peak hot water). My home charger is connected to the off peak service with a contactor (all above board) such that I can charge for about 16 hours per day at 16c/kWh.

Now I just need the car to go with the charger!

 

[timpoo]

I'm interested and in Sydney metro (Ausgrid). I'm getting more annoyed with Energy Australia's approach and undermining the RET plus cutting my FIT isn't good. For my 2c though I'd also like to see non-time of day plans and retaining the controlled load plan (off peak hot water). My home charger is connected to the off peak service with a contactor (all above board) such that I can charge for about 16 hours per day at 16c/kWh.

Now I just need the car to go with the charger!

Hi Mark not sure if I understood you correctly, but yes Powershop have an offpeak/peak plan. If you go with that scheme I think offpeak is around 10c per kw, but don't quote me on that. On peak rate obviously goes up then. Offpeak last I saw was from 11pm to 7am, which should be enough time to fully charge the car.

They also have a controlled load rate plan but I think that's only for hot water, space heaters and other dedicated loads.

- - - Updated - - -

Same. We definitely need a nation-wide 'ecotricity' contender here.

Marcus I have confidence that Powershop will get there. Unfortunately, with the current government there is a lot of uncertainty around the RET and what that will mean for those in the renewable energy sector. If there was more certainty then I think the pace would be a lot faster!

 

[Gabz]

I'm interested and in Sydney metro (Ausgrid). I'm getting more annoyed with Energy Australia's approach and undermining the RET plus cutting my FIT isn't good. For my 2c though I'd also like to see non-time of day plans and retaining the controlled load plan (off peak hot water). My home charger is connected to the off peak service with a contactor (all above board) such that I can charge for about 16 hours per day at 16c/kWh.

TOD (time of day) plans are decide by the distributor Ausgrid not the retailer EA . so power shop will not remove you from TOD plan sorry. If your looking for a better fit the best are click energy, diamond energy and AGL. (see my blog post for more NSW Solar Feed in Tariff | Rammblings and Madness ) click don't have contracts so you can always swap to them while you wait for powershop to open up in NSW.

It used to be that when you got solar you were forced to go to TOD but they got rid of that so there is a chance you could ask to be moved back you would have to ask EA to ask ausgrid.

 

[Mark E]

Hi Mark not sure if I understood you correctly, but yes Powershop have an offpeak/peak plan. If you go with that scheme I think offpeak is around 10c per kw, but don't quote me on that. On peak rate obviously goes up then. Offpeak last I saw was from 11pm to 7am, which should be enough time to fully charge the car.

They also have a controlled load rate plan but I think that's only for hot water, space heaters and other dedicated loads.

- - - Updated - - -

Actually, No. Controlled load off peak hot water is completely separate to time of day billing. I pay a flat per kWh rate for electricity, and a *different* rate for the supply to the hot water service (and car now) that is remotely turned on and off by Ausgrid. Since I don't use a lot of power right now I'm not really keen to move to time of day billing since a large percentage could end up being during the peak times - which often are from 3pm-8pm daily...

The controlled load can be applied to the car charger as long as it's hard wired - like the wall charger is...

 

[Gabz]

i misunderstood you too. but yes powershop have to support it because the don't get a choice they are really just reselling ausgrid products. if you think of ausgrid as telstra wholesale and internode is powershop... your currently on bigpond..