Cheap Solar Energy Storage

I've come across a couple of articles on one method for cheap solar power storage lately, and I thought I'd pass the idea along.In some countries like Australia (where I live) electric power companies pay a pittance for the solar power you export to the grid, around 6-8 cents a kilowatt hour. They charge an enormous amount for what you buy, up to 34 cents per kWh though.That means during the day if no one's home your solar system is pumping power into the grid and you get paid almost nothing. In the evening and night when the family is home but the sun isn't shining you're buying power for quite a lot.The only time you're really enjoying the benefits of free power from the sun is on the weekends and holidays, unless you work from home or you're retired.Even worse, in some places like Queensland, Australia (where I am right now) there has been talk of not allowing new solar systems to connect to the grid. It's rather ironic that Queensland calls itself the Sunshine State.> One Reason For Solar StorageBatteries are still too expensive for most people, so what can be done?The idea I've seen is to send excess solar power to heat the hot water. In Queensland for example, you could be saving 25 cents a kWh which is a lot better than the 6 or 8 cents you'd be paid if you exported that power to the utilities.In one system "Le Clair" paid just 99 to divert his excess solar electricity to his hot water. It used inexpensive programmable timer switches.In the U.K. REUK have actually developed a controller to send excess solar power to the hot water heater. Also in the U.K. is the solar iBoost, using surplus solar electricity to heat your hot water. Installed prices I've seen are around 350 pounds.This sort of storage won't suit everyone, for example if you're on one to one net metering, or if you're paid well for the power you sell to the grid. But for Australians, and anyone else with low feed in tariffs and high electricity prices it's one way to get more from your solar system.