How Does Reposit Make Money From No Bill?

One of the first questions people ask when they hear about Reposit’s "No Bill" guarantee is understandable: How is this even possible? How does Reposit generate enough revenue to cover my electricity bills for years?

It's a smart question, and we believe in being completely transparent about how our innovative system works. The "No Bill" guarantee isn't magic; it's powered by a combination of cutting-edge technology and strategic participation in various energy markets. Almost all other solar and battery systems simply run the house from solar when the sun is up, and if there is excess power from the solar panels, it charges the battery. Then, when the sun goes down, it uses the power from the battery to run the house until the battery is depleted. Our system is very different. Here's a breakdown of how Reposit generates revenue to make "No Bill" a reality for our customers.

Smart Energy Trading in the Wholesale Market:

Think of the wholesale electricity market like a stock market for energy. Prices fluctuate constantly based on supply and demand. Our secret weapon? Our intelligent "autotrader" algorithm.  

• Buy Low, Sell High (Automatically): Our system continually analyses the wholesale market. When electricity prices are low, our algorithm can strategically "buy" energy from the grid, often storing the energy in your battery. Conversely, when prices spike, it can sell excess energy generated by your solar panels or stored in your battery back to the grid at a profit (but don’t worry, we’ll never completely drain your battery and we always operate within the manufacturer’s recommended amount of battery cycles.) You can view what the wholesale market is doing in real time here: AEMO Data Dashboard.
• Solar Curtailment as a Tool: Sometimes, the cost of exporting your excess solar energy to the grid can actually be negative, meaning the grid doesn't need your energy and might charge you to take it. In these instances, and assuming your battery is fully charged, our system might temporarily "curtail" or turn off your solar export. This isn't wasted energy; it's a smart economic decision to avoid incurring costs, allowing us to maximise revenue-generating opportunities at other times.

Think of it this way: Instead of just passively feeding solar energy into the grid, your Reposit-powered system actively participates in the energy market, buying and selling strategically to generate revenue.  

Providing Essential Grid Stability Services:

Your Reposit system isn't just benefiting your household; it's also contributing to a more stable and reliable electricity grid for everyone. We earn revenue by providing crucial "guardrail" services:

• Contingency Frequency Control Ancillary Services (FCAS): Imagine the electricity grid as a finely balanced machine. If the frequency (the rate at which the system operates) becomes unstable due to sudden changes in supply or demand, it can lead to blackouts. Our systems can react incredibly quickly (within milliseconds) to inject or absorb energy, helping to correct these frequency fluctuations and keep the grid running smoothly. We are paid for providing this rapid response capability. How can this sudden change happen you ask? In extreme examples, this can happen when high winds blow over transmission towers, or coal fired power stations suddenly disconnect from the grid, among other reasons.
• Reliability and Emergency Reserve Trader (RERT): Sometimes, the demand for electricity significantly outweighs the available supply, potentially leading to shortages. In these emergency situations, the grid operator can call upon resources like our aggregated network of batteries to inject power and prevent blackouts. We receive payments for being available and for deploying energy when needed in these critical moments.

Essentially, your battery is part of a virtual power plant (VPP) that helps keep the entire grid stable, and we are compensated for providing this vital service.

Partnering with Network Operators (DNSPs):

The companies that manage the poles and wires delivering electricity to your home (Distribution Network Service Providers or DNSPs) also benefit from the intelligence of our system.

• Network Support Services (including Project Edith): We provide valuable data and services to DNSPs, giving them better visibility into their network operations. This includes real-time information on voltage and power flows. Our technology, like we use for Project Edith, can also provide voltage and power response, helping the DNSPs maintain a safe and stable network, especially with increasing amounts of distributed energy resources like solar.  
• Benefits for DNSPs: This data and responsiveness help DNSPs optimise their network, prevent outages, and integrate more renewable energy sources effectively. They pay us for these services that improve the overall efficiency and reliability of the electricity grid.

The Sum of Its Parts: A Sustainable "No Bill" Model

The "No Bill" guarantee isn't reliant on just one of these revenue streams. It's the intelligent orchestration of all these capabilities – smart wholesale trading, providing essential grid stability services, and partnering with network operators – that allows Reposit to generate the revenue needed to cover your electricity bill.

By harnessing the power of your solar and battery system and leveraging our advanced technology, we create a win-win situation: you enjoy zero electricity bills, your systems performance is monitored by us 24x7 so an problems can be identified and addressed, and your system actively contributes to a more modern, stable, and sustainable energy future for everyone.

Have more questions about how Reposit Power works? We're here to answer them!