Chris’ Journey with Redback Technologies: Smart Energy Control for the Modern Home

Chris Abberley is no stranger to technology. As a Principal Technical PM at Microsoft, he’s spent decades at the cutting edge of computing – from the days of MS-DOS to today’s enterprise-level systems. Living in Queensland, Chris is passionate about home automation and energy management, particularly in solar power, battery storage, and grid interactions.

Like many homeowners, Chris wanted more than just basic control over his energy system. He wanted to optimise his power usage, manage his solar generation, and adjust his battery’s charge and discharge times based on fluctuating energy prices.

And, he was able to easily achieve that by leveraging Redback Technologies’ easy-to-use API to integrate his energy system with his home automation setup.

The Challenge: Taking Full Control of His Energy Usage

The MyRedback App and Redback Portal provide a suite of capabilities that most homeowners find easy to use, while being able to give them the control they need in a clear interface. But, Chris wanted something more. He wanted to arbitrage energy costs, which meant charging his battery when electricity prices were low and discharging it when prices were high. The goal was to avoid negative feed-in tariffs and reduce his overall energy spend.

Chris wanted an automated manner of controlling scheduling capabilities whilst also having finer control over his systems. So, Chris turned to Redback’s open API, aiming to programmatically control his energy system. This would allow him to manage his solar generation, battery storage, and even grid interactions in a much more nuanced way.

The Solution: API Integration for Smart Power Management

Redback’s Open API was exactly what Chris needed. Using his expertise with Python and Home Assistant, Chris wrote the integration for Home Assistant to communicate with Redback. This wasn’t just about pulling data from the portal; it was about being able to send commands to his system, and intuitively telling his inverters and battery when to charge or discharge.

Here’s what this integration has enabled Chris to do:

• Control Over Inverters and Batteries: By connecting his system to Redback’s Portal via the API, Chris can schedule when his battery charges and discharges based on energy price fluctuations.
• Energy Arbitrage: Chris is able to buy low and sell high, minimising his energy costs by charging his battery when electricity prices are low (typically overnight) and discharging it during peak pricing hours.
• Advanced Scheduling: The ability to set precise schedules means that Chris can ensure his battery is fully charged by 4 pm, just before evening tariff rates go up, saving him money in the process.

The Results: Big Savings and Faster ROI.

Chris has seen real, tangible results from this integration. By paying attention to energy spikes—like the recent evening surges in energy prices – Chris has been able to use his battery strategically to earn credits from the grid. In one instance, he made a $60 credit just by setting up a schedule to avoid peak pricing.

More importantly, Chris is on track to recover his initial investment in his energy system in just 3 to 4 years, significantly faster than the typical 8-10 years that many people report with their battery systems. His overall goal is to eliminate one of his power bills entirely. While still an ongoing process, the savings so far have been impressive.

Amber Energy Beta: Seamless Integration with Redback’s API

Chris’s journey doesn’t stop with home automation. He also participated in Amber Energy’s Beta test, a platform that enables consumers to participate in virtual power plants (VPPs) and sell excess energy back to the grid. Integrating his battery system with Amber’s platform was a key part of this test, and once again, Redback’s API played a central role.

Chris found that integrating his Redback system with Amber’s platform was quick and straightforward. As Chris put it, Myles from Amber commented that Redback’s API was one of the easiest they had worked with. Because Redback’s API provides such fine-tuned control, it allowed Amber to quickly incorporate Chris’s battery into their VPP with no hitches.

Here’s what Chris gained from this integration:

• Real-Time Control: Chris could directly manage his battery and adjust its output based on the demands of the VPP.
• Smart IoT Tech: While many battery-inverter combinations don’t always work reliably in these scenarios, Chris found that Redback’s integration ensured everything worked smoothly. The combination of smart IoT tech and Redback’s robust inverter system meant that his setup was reliable and responsive.
• Data Privacy Concerns: One consideration Chris raised was the reliance on cloud-based monitoring. While the cloud-based nature of Redback’s platform offers convenience, he also sees potential in offering local control as an option, which could appeal to users concerned about data privacy.

After observing the experiences others have had dealing with issues in other battery/inverter products, especially curtailment, I was eager to see how Amber’s platform would manage my Redback Hybrid setup.

I’m thrilled to say that Amber Energy’s SmartShift control worked flawlessly.

I credit this to the advanced technology Redback Technologies has developed, ensuring a robust and responsive integration with Amber.

The Big Picture: Smart Energy for Smart Consumers

Chris is not just a Redback API ‘user’; he’s a true advocate for taking control of your energy system. With more people becoming conscious of the energy landscape, he sees huge potential for SaaS-based solutions to simplify energy management for everyday consumers. By providing simplified interfaces and automated strategies, these solutions could help homeowners understand their energy usage better and make more informed decisions.

For example, an easy-to-understand suggestion like, “Make sure your battery is fully charged by 4 pm to avoid high evening tariffs,” could be all that’s needed for a homeowner to start saving money and optimising their energy system.

Looking Ahead: Redback’s Role in the Future of Energy

Chris sees a lot of exciting possibilities for the future of energy systems, particularly when it comes to the integration of smart IoT technologies. As more consumers demand greater control over their energy use, systems like Redback’s will continue to evolve, helping users not just manage their power usage but actively reduce their energy costs and increase their energy independence.

In the meantime, Chris is already seeing impressive results from his Redback-powered energy system, from reduced power bills to seamless integration with Amber Energy. It’s clear that for tech-savvy consumers looking to optimise their energy usage, Redback Technologies is a powerful, flexible tool that’s helping to shape the future of smart energy management.