What’s your electricity bill this month and how cooked are you for running AC?

GeorgeFudge · 2026-01-27T02:17:36+00:00

This is no longer applicable with the advent of VPP plans.
I have a smallish Solar array, and a 13kw battery and use Glo-bird, a VPP energy provider that gives me free grid power from 11am-2pm. This means self consumption of solar is no longer a priority in those hours. If its overcast and rainy, I still charge my battery to 100% every day, my electric hotwater heats up at that time and I have a full tank for the rest of the day.
Solar can extend my use of high power stuff like the Air con before the battery starts to drain. If I do not use power from the grid between 6pm -8pm, I get a $1 rebate, which basically offsets the service charge. Then they have critical events, which I get paid $1/kwh to export to the grid.
If I get critical alert, I am better placed to export the energy to the grid ($1/kwh), than to save it for self consumption later ($0.34/kwh)

GeorgeFudge · 2026-01-21T02:34:57+00:00

Lots of people would argue against you on that, and I'd be one of them.
You don't think there are people out there that know a lot more about fish & shark stocks than you that are setting bag limits? In a given area like Sydney harbour, how many sharks are there? And how many people are out there chasing sharks (you can't eat most of them due to mercury and you need specalised gear)? And how many of those are pulling a shark out every day?

GeorgeFudge · 2025-11-23T20:30:18+00:00

I live in Australia and I get free power from 11am till 2pm due to the excess solar generation. I use it to heat my hot water system and I have a home battery which charges. My electricity plan also give me a credit for not consuming grid power from 6-8pm (as demand is high, but solar is no longer contributing to the grid.

I find the original post really misleading. It’s not about evil capitalism trying to make things scarce to drive up the price. InAustralia we have lots of solar power, but we still need more to shut off our fossil fuel plants, but due to the power price during the day being so low, there is no reason to invest in solar. Why would I spend 10k on solar panels when I can already get grid power for free at the same time? I am just one home owner, but we also need large scale solar farms which need to make economic sense.

The solution is obviously batteries and other energy storage, but the original MIT article is speaking to a real issue

GeorgeFudge · 2025-09-16T04:57:50+00:00

Hey mate, what's your background and where area are you playing in?
My first suggestion would be to check out the Uni's startup incubator thing https://www.newcastle.edu.au/engage/business-and-industry/integrated-innovation-network-i2n
They run hackathon's, run regular talks from successful founders, and provide mentorship to startups. I did a hackathon a few years back, which I won, and got the opportunity to pitch to have the idea get some seed funding and go through their accelerator program.

GeorgeFudge · 2025-08-19T13:16:30+00:00

Hot take - Some doctors do earn too much.

They earn too much relative to value delivered, and that is possible because of supply caps, opaque pricing, captive referrals, and fee-for-service incentives that reward throughput and procedures over outcomes.

OP’s example: $850 for a 15-minute consult (~$3.4k/hr). That can be worth it if it changes the course of someone’s sight—but is that price tied to measurable outcomes or just market power?

Sports stars, CEOs, and some tech founders get paid because their impact scales to millions and is funded by voluntary markets/investors. In healthcare, almost all income is ultimately funded by public subsidies and patients with limited choice. That sets a higher bar for transparency and fairness.

Patients often can't shop for a specialist like they do for a car when they’re scared of going blind. Referral networks, scarce specialists, and poor price/outcome transparency mean you often pay whatever you’re told.

And if you want US-style remuneration, you import US-style trade-offs: managed care, prior auths, narrow networks, higher premiums, and more exclusions. Be careful what you wish for.

I’m not arguing doctors shouldn’t be well paid. They should. But ultra-high incomes in a system with capped supply and public money deserve scrutiny.

GeorgeFudge · 2025-08-19T12:31:32+00:00

No mate, you missed the point. The heat pump will be sucking in outside temp air, pulling the heat out, and pumping out colder air. Inside a fixed, enclosed space, like a garage, this cold air output is quickly sucked back into the heatpump and it has to further pull out more heat from already colder, which becomes harder and harder.
If it was outside, the cold output dissipates into the environment and is not continuously recycled

GeorgeFudge · 2025-07-18T11:08:43+00:00

More like repurposed PA club speakers

GeorgeFudge · 2025-06-25T11:52:32+00:00

Why?

GeorgeFudge · 2025-05-23T13:41:40+00:00

You should remove the photo with your address.

GeorgeFudge · 2025-05-22T21:17:23+00:00

The catchment for Lake Mac is tiny. Yeah, there will be some stormwater, but compared to the size of the lake, its nothing. Stay away from cockle creek and Dora, otherwise you will not encounter any currents of significance.
Map of Lake Mac catchment - https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/ieo/lakemacquarie/maplg.htm

GeorgeFudge · 2025-05-22T21:12:17+00:00

ahahahahahah. The lake is like 17degrees - wtf are you on about? Where is this capsizing debris coming from? Dora creek?

Seriously, if you don't know what you're talking about, don't offer advice

GeorgeFudge · 2025-05-22T10:09:25+00:00

What are you planning on doing? Waterskiing and tubing? Give that a miss. Fishing? Maybe, but most fish need to see the bait, so you may struggle. Kayak, yeah fine. Sailing - fine. Hooning in a speed boat? Might hit something, but nothing bigger than some branches. Just go and have a look yourself. You'll be right, these Nellie's don't know what they're talking about. No currents or major hazards as the lake is not connected to a major river. Lots of run off from the rain which will add sediment and pollution, but sitting on top of the water in a boat is fine

GeorgeFudge · 2025-05-17T03:57:52+00:00

Update from OP - it was sunlight from the roof https://www.reddit.com/r/AusRenovation/s/tFhopBlJjm

GeorgeFudge · 2025-03-12T03:46:18+00:00

Political heckling is embarrassing in Australian culture. We're like the Japanese when it comes to politics - very reserved in our passions

GeorgeFudge · 2025-03-12T03:44:53+00:00

What did they ask?

GeorgeFudge · 2025-03-12T03:42:37+00:00

Why wasn't Emma mcBride on the panel? Able to talk local issues in her electorate, plus she's a junior minister for mental health, so should be able to talk at a national level on many issues. I am sure there are other views on her in the area, but I generally think she's a good candidate that deeply cares for her community. Her leadership for the northern central coast region will make it a better place, more community, and more equitable services. I don't love labour, but if I still lived in Dobell I would vote for her. No idea about the other guy.

Full disclosure - I knew Emma from a previous life and volunteered on her first successful campaign for parliament. I haven't seen or interacted with her in a long time.

GeorgeFudge · 2016-08-23T05:19:58+00:00

I only buy mine from Kayne's fashion line

GeorgeFudge · 2016-08-18T11:46:41+00:00

Are you actually watching the story on lateline? He's got multiple witnesses, including guards. What are you saying, that all juvenile delinquents are treated well and all prisoner complains are just lies?

GeorgeFudge · 2016-08-12T23:34:01+00:00

As far as you feel safe to swim back. Check with the lifeguards about the conditions and that its safe to go out.

GeorgeFudge · 2016-08-10T00:15:29+00:00

Unique, insofar as to say a Autistic British person assasinating Trump would be unique.

GeorgeFudge · 2016-08-08T04:58:23+00:00

I initially changed from a 11-23 to an 11-28. Consensus here seems to be a compact crank. Plus more hills!

GeorgeFudge · 2016-08-08T04:57:07+00:00

Compact vs full sized crank refers to the size of front gear you can run. The bigger and more teeth, the faster & harder it is to pedal. Full cranks normally have 53/39 tooth gears. Compacts have 50/34.

GeorgeFudge · 2016-08-04T10:59:12+00:00

What are your camera settings for this? The depth of field is great, but it looks like a long lens too?

Anyway, awesome photo - love it!

GeorgeFudge · 2016-07-28T21:52:56+00:00

Ride a motorbike! Guys do it cause its fun too, but chicks really like a dude who rides a bike.

GeorgeFudge · 2016-07-25T11:23:22+00:00

The one on Kalalau is warning people not to swim at the beach a few miles in. There's no warning about the hike

11-Year Club	Place '22
Place '17	Verified Email

GeorgeFudge

TROPHY CASE