Disrupting High Energy Prices

On ABC Radio Canberra Thursday morning there was a segment on high charges for communal hot water systems in Canberra.  In 2013 I asked for an ACT Assembly Inquiry into Energy Billing, as the charges were five to ten times what they should be. However, no action was taken by the ACT Assembly.

If the ACT Assembly will not stop incumbent energy retailers from imposing unconscionable charges, then perhaps new local businesses need to "disrupt" the business model. New providers could assist the body corporate of a block of units to purchase energy in bulk and meter it to each unit, using billing as a service in the cloud.

The ACT Government, along with Canberra's universities, have fostered a start-up community to help set up new businesses using new technology. This includes Canberra Innovation Network  and the Renewables Innovation Hub. I have been mentoring start-ups through the Innovation ACT competition and setting up an energy metering business is no more complex than some new businesses I have helped with.


ps: I teach "ICT Sustainability" at the ANU, on how to estimate and reduce carbon emissions using computers, through such measures as computerized metering.

Apartments with FTTN for Sale in Canberra

Currently there are three apartments available for sale in Bluebell Street, O'Connor Canberra in the City Edge complex I live in. Thes are 24/50 a one bedroom first floor apartment,  20/52 and 30/48 with two bedrooms. All have a balcony on the northern (sunny) side of the building, away from the street. 30/48 is on the ground floor at the eastern end of the complex, with more natural light. The building has a fibre optic node to the basement for the Transact broadband service. There is a park across the road with a bicycle path to the Australian National University (about 1 km) and a bus-stop at the end of the street, on the route to the university and city centre. Within the complex is a private park.

ACT Assembly Inquiry into Energy Billing and overcharging by ActewAGL

This is to request the ACT Assembly conduct an inquiry into the adequacy of laws on oversight of energy billing. By my estimate ActewAGL is overcharging by a factor of five to ten on its hot water supply service charge. I do not actually have a gas connection, instead having hot water provided by a communal system in the apartment basement at City Edge, O'Connor.

ActewAGL reads the amount of hot water I use via a smart meter and calculates my share of the gas used to heat the water. This is an efficient and cost effective system, except for the "service charge" imposed by ActewAGL: the service charge exceeds the cost of the gas used.

As I don't actually have a gas connection to my apartment and the one connection is shared by 30 apartments, it is unclear how ActewAGL can justify charging each apartment the equivalent of a gas connection. However, this arrangement has been made legal through legislation passed by the ACT Assembly. I request the Assembly review this.

The relatively high service charge makes the use of shared systems less cost effective. Not only does this increase energy costs to ACT citizens, but also discourages the use of energy efficient and less polluting forms of hot water supply, thus increasing Canberra's greenhouse gas emissions.

City Edge Park in Autumn

Here is a photo of City Edge Park in Autumn. This is a private park (which I own part of) in the center of the City Edge apartment complex in O'Connor, Canberra. The oak trees were previously on the site and were retained with the new apartments and town houses built around them. The small park is similar in atmosphere to private parks in London, but has no fence around it. One oak have grown so it almost touches the ground on the northern side of the park, forming a natural canopy. In autumn the leaves turn golden for a few days, before falling. There are occasional picnics and there has been one wedding under the trees in the park.