Time to give electricity the flick?

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Time to give electricity the flick?

gchiu

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Topic # 153480 28-Sep-2014 17:56

A new electricity provider currently in Wgton and Hamilton https://www.flickelectric.co.nz/hello/

Has anyone tried them yet? ( You need to have a smart meter in place ).

They charge a premium on the spot price, and the spot price is always available for you to see to decide whether or not to use power ( I presume that this means dish washers, dryers, and washing machines ) where you are able to control the use.

So, they charge 40c a day for connection and an additional 1.5c a kWh on top of the spot price.
Nothing on their site about buy back from your PV panels.

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Reply # 1143082 28-Sep-2014 19:35

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Smart meter? Out here in the Wairarapa I consider us lucky to even have a meter, much less a smart one!!

gnfb

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Reply # 1143218 29-Sep-2014 00:17

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Whenever I hear about Power Companies in New Zealand I envisage a magician using smoke and mirrors. They always seem to be doing this promotion or that or promising a saving here or there or how they are going to make everything better , how we will all go skipping hand in hand to the happy land!

Please tell me it not synical old me that thinks the power cartel in this country is having a laugh at our expense?

We do know its a extremely well coordinated money making machine?

Now I always fel I have to explain at this point I am as much a capitalist as the next person, i hate seeing people taking advantage of.

and yes I am as guilty as the next for paying my power bill.

Oh I haven't got any answers sorry if you were hanging around for a solution.

I just like to stand up and say "I know your game mate!" "but theirs not a damn thing I can do about it or am prepared to do about it"

Is an English Man living in New Zealand. Not a writer, an Observer he says. Graham is a seasoned 'traveler" with his sometimes arrogant, but honest opinion on life. He loves the Internet!.

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mattwnz

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Reply # 1143219 29-Sep-2014 00:22

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Don't know anything about this particular company. However you often see these startup electricity providers start out by undercutting the opposition. But it doesn't lat all that long, and they either get purchased by a competitor, or they raise their prices, or they just close down. I suspect many do it just to get a good customer base, even if they run as break even or a loss, because every new customer they gain, is one the opposition companies don't. So they make most of their money by amounting a good cusomter base, and then selling the company.

charsleysa

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Reply # 1143222 29-Sep-2014 02:17

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What they are trying to do is basically how all electricity should be charged.

You should be charged depending on how much you use during a certain time, for example, on peak, off peak, low peak.

Problem is you need to know when the customer is using electricity and only smart meters can do that.

If you choose this you will basically be charged on your usage habits, so the more electricity you use during on peak, the higher your bill will be. It also works in the opposite direction, if you use little to no power during on peak and mostly during off peak then the lower your power bill will be.

It's a good scheme because continuously upgrading the electricity system to meet the demand of current and future on peak levels is unsustainable. A major effort needs to be made to lower that peak by spreading out the usage through the day where there isn't as much electricity being consumed.

Regards
Stefan Andres Charsley

kiwitrc

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Reply # 1143225 29-Sep-2014 06:21

I use day/night power plans and have my place setup to use night power for hot water heating, also dishwasher, washing machine are all have delay start so we use them at night. Flick will be ideal for me and have just signed up, thanks for the heads up.

floydbloke

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Reply # 1143231 29-Sep-2014 07:45

I quite like the concept but being the miserable sceptical git that I am I have some doubt whether there is more than a few bucks to be saved each months.

I didn't find their website is particularly good at telling me the actual price per kWh I'd end up paying (to the extent that it is potentially a little misleading showing spot prices further down the page, but not the wholesale cost).

Either way, looking at the graphs it seems the spot price sits at around 8c, and this looks to make up about a third of the wholesale cost, so the end price to the consumer still sits at around 24-25c ex GST, about the same as I pay now, fluctuating 2c up or down throughout the day. I guess if you gave it the time and effort you could save some money but I don't have the motivation for it.

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Kingy

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Reply # 1143418 29-Sep-2014 11:42

Geektastic: Smart meter? Out here in the Wairarapa I consider us lucky to even have a meter, much less a smart one!!

Where are you? We've got one in Masterton.

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khull

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Reply # 1143444 29-Sep-2014 11:54

Spot pricing. I like the idea however like any spot prices, it is exposed to fluctuations in demand/supply and seasonal trends. Think of it like Amazon AWS spot pricing but for electricity

As home automation becomes more prevalent I think we will see more of these 'innovative' ideas from power companies

suitey

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Reply # 1144700 1-Oct-2014 10:25

I have been with Flick for 7 months now.

I compared by bills for the same 7 month period with my previous supplier (Genesis) and when you take total electrivity bill and divide it by the number of units used over that period, Genesis charged me an average of 84 cents a unit. Same time frame, same deal with Flick it has averaged at 29 cents.

I timeshift some of my electricity - but only as it suits me - like delaying the dishwasher until after we've gone to bed. I could do more, to save more I'm certainly not in the top saving bracket according to the data they send me with my bill, but man that's a HUGE difference still.

.

k14

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Reply # 1144736 1-Oct-2014 11:49

If I could join them I would be in there in a heartbeat (not available in my area). My job is electricity trading on the spot market for one of the big 4 gentailers. I know for a fact that this is the cheapest option compared to any other option out there. However it does require a little bit of regular research as to how the market is performing and as to whether or not hydro storage is getting towards a low etc. All this data is freely available on websites such as http://www.electricityinfo.co.nz/comitFta/ftapage.main and http://www.em6live.co.nz/ I do this in my day job so for me it would be a no brainer. Also, if there is a prolonged high price period you just switch to one of the other retailers (no charges for switching) and you are sweet.

However, in the long run if everyone in NZ jumped on the Flick bandwagon it probably isn't sustainable in the long term. But a few people here and there won't make a scrap of difference.

wellygary

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Reply # 1144785 1-Oct-2014 12:25

k14:

However, in the long run if everyone in NZ jumped on the Flick bandwagon it probably isn't sustainable in the long term. But a few people here and there won't make a scrap of difference.

+1 on not long term sustainable,

AGL lost $200 million propping up On Energy in 2001, when the drought pushed spot prices up and hundreds of thousands of customers threathened to flee to the gentailers. They were forced to hold prices and wear the loss.....

In times of surplus rain/electricity production you can survive on Spot prices, when a drought comes, business models like this turns to dust.....

Beccara

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Reply # 1145057 1-Oct-2014 19:06

Yeah it all turns to crap when the 5 min spot price goes to $1100/MW in an area because of a supply pinch in an area from lines down to maintenance, Or you know say a summer where daily 2 week average pricing is $120-150mw and my expected bill doubles

Most problems are the result of previous solutions...

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kiwitrc

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Reply # 1145263 2-Oct-2014 06:41

Probably no good for low users or anyone who has their electricity under control like me (Solar HW). I have the actual costs as below. These are not on their web site and probably should be to save asking.

Generation: Final spot price for your location

Distribution: 90.00c/day + 6.33c/kWh (Day Rate) + 1.96c/kWh (Night Rate)

Metering: 21.66c/day

Flick: 40.00c/day + 1.50c/kWh

Other: GST and EA Levy Fee (0.17c/kWh)

All charges listed are GST exclusive and subject to change.

Lurch

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Reply # 1162163 25-Oct-2014 21:15

Tried to switch but apparently we have the wrong smart meter :-/

Jeeves

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Reply # 1163700 28-Oct-2014 16:19

Lurch: Us too. If you have a metrix smart meter (Ours was installed by powershop) - you're SOL for now. They are apparently working on it though so hopefully one day we can switch.

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