Keeping the Power On this Summer
Heat and system faults contribute to blackouts
No matter where you live in Australia, summer brings some of the hottest average temperatures on the planet. Hotter weather and unrelenting heatwaves see many households instinctively grasp for the air conditioning remote, putting a greater demand on Australia’s power grid network. This demand, as well as local faults and bushfires, can cause blackouts and grid interruptions, leaving thousands of Australians without power. Recently over eleven thousand Western Australians lost power over the Christmas break, where crucial repairs to restore power were delayed due to fire weather warnings, according to the energy supplier Western Power.
Wet weather also works against power companies
Sometimes it’s not just hot, dry summer heatwaves that electricity grid operators must prepare for, but also when things get very wet and very windy. This summer, a La Niña weather pattern for eastern and northern Australia sets to bring even more complications. Although there are likely to be less extremely hot days, there is an increased chance of prolonged, less intense heatwaves particularly in southern Australia, and we may see cooler, wetter weather leading to stronger winds, flooding and cyclones making landfall, which can have detrimental effects for both homes and power structures and will often lead to power outages.
“Extreme weather events make power outages more likely and in cases where there is very high electricity demand, the Australian Energy Market Operator may also order rolling blackouts (called load shedding) to ensure the security of the grid,” – Energy Networks Australia CEO Andrew Dillon.
A Redback System can help keep the power on
No one likes to be stuck without power, especially in a storm. Installing a Redback smart battery is a great way to protect your home from blackouts and lessens your family’s reliance on the electricity grid, especially during peak times. Our smart home battery solutions switch over in just 10 milliseconds after losing a connection to the grid, meaning you may not even notice a difference! Our Smart Hybrid systems also can charge themselves from your rooftop solar when the grid is down, meaning that as long as the sun is shining, it can charge your battery and keep your essentials – such as TV, internet, fridges and lights – on for days in the event of a long-term blackout.
Energy Networks Australia (ENA) and the Australian Energy Council (AEC) have worked together to release a fact sheet explaining how the energy sector prepares for summer’s extreme weather, which you can find here.
With many states offering rebates or interest-free loans, there’s never been a better time to think about a solar solution for your home.
