A recent electricity bill can show how much electricity you use, what you pay, your tariff, existing solar exports and, for some commercial customers, demand charges. It helps me understand the current position before recommending a change.
It shows more than the dollar total
The amount owing is useful, but the bill can also contain energy consumption, daily averages, electricity rates, supply charges and export information. Those details help separate a high bill caused by high usage from one caused by expensive rates or changing energy patterns.
For existing solar, exports matter
If solar is already installed, the bill may show how much energy is being exported. That information can be important when comparing more solar against a battery.
For commercial customers, the bill can reveal tariff structure
Commercial accounts can include peak periods, off-peak rates and demand charges. These can materially change the value of solar and battery storage, and may tell me that detailed interval data is needed before modelling the project.
One bill is a starting point, not always the whole answer
Seasonal usage can vary. For some projects I may want several bills, 12 months of consumption, or interval data. The larger or more complex the project, the more useful detailed usage information becomes.
Why this matters
Two customers can both have a $1,000 quarterly bill but use electricity at completely different times. One may be an excellent solar-only candidate. The other may need a different design. The bill starts the investigation, but timing data can finish it.
What happens after I receive it?
- I review the basic usage and tariff information.
- I check whether existing solar or exports are shown.
- I identify any obvious missing information.
- I discuss the customer's goals and future energy needs.
- Then I decide what options are worth modelling.
The purpose is not to collect paperwork for its own sake. It is to avoid recommending equipment before understanding the energy problem.