There is no doubt about it, the world is moving towards a more sustainable and gentler future when it comes to our energy use – and despite what you may have been reading in the press of late, we in Australia are actually leading the charge in many ways. Our government has launched highly ambitious targets to meet our net-zero carbon emission goals and here’s the thing – it is doable, but it will require that everyone gets in on the action.
One of the relatively simpler ways that we can do this is by installing solar water heating in our homes and businesses, and this is where we are particularly blessed in Australia as one of the resources that we have in abundance – is sunshine, and what’s more, technology is changing so fast, you can now also have battery packs installed that store excess power for those odd days when the sun doesn’t make the brightest appearance, you’ll still have Solar hot water in Brisbane.
So let’s look at a few of the ways that it makes very good sense to install solar water heating at your home or business – and it’s not just good news for the environment, it’s also great news for your pocket over time too.
FREE ENERGY (YES, REALLY)
So once you’ve installed your solar hot water system, you’re literally getting free energy from the sun, which over a few years will begin paying for itself. In Australia, there is no reason why more of us have not done this, especially considering that in recent years the cost of installation has seen something of a drop. For more information, click here.
RISING ENERGY COSTS? WHAT RISING ENERGY COSTS?
The most obvious benefit to installing solar for water heating is that you’re automatically buffered against rising energy costs, once the initial installation has been paid for, that’s it – you’re home free – literally, and with the rise in energy costs of late reaching record highs, the average Australian family saves a staggering $500 every quarter on energy costs, thanks to solar. Think about that – that’s $2000 a year.
LOW MAINTENANCE
Probably one of the bigger advantages for busy Aussies, is the low maintenance that these panels require and unless there has been a major storm or some out of the ordinary damage caused to your panels, they should last a good 15 years – but the good news is that maintenance in and of itself isn’t costly at all (depending on what the issue is of course), but if you use a reputable company to do the installation, you’ll be able to discuss ongoing maintenance plans or services with them too.
SPEAKING OF SAVINGS
Did you know that with solar heating panels installed, you could save up to a very impressive 90% on your energy bills – that includes water heating. Think about that number for a second 90% – that is no joke, and overtime is going to amount to thousands of dollars worth of savings that you could be using on the things you really want. Paying down debt, saving for a holiday…or a ring?
OFFSET YOUR INSTALLATION COSTS WITH GOVERNMENT REBATES
Small-scale technology certificates, or STC’s issued by the government are available to all eligible residential or business customers who install an energy efficient hot water system, that is a solar hot water system or a heat pump. It works by offering a discounted rate upfront at the time of installation. There are differences in how this scheme works in each state, so make sure you check with your local authorities to get the latest information for your area.
Brisbane, with its gorgeous climate, is perfect for solar hot water heating installations, so click here to find out more.
INCREASE YOUR HOMES VALUE
And here is the big one. Depending on the installation you choose you can be adding significant value to your home and that has to be a great incentive to consider solar water heating.
The amount of energy that gas uses every time someone has a bath, shower or runs the hot tap in a kitchen, bathroom or workroom adds so much onto your monthly bill, you’d be surprised at just how much, so solar hot water installations don’t just make great sense for the environment (and they do), they make very good sense for your pocket, and when all is said and done, it is the right thing to do.