My wife and I have discussed Solar energy for at least 12 months now, considering we live in a new area, and the next place we plan to move to will involve building again. This puts us in a unique position to be able to direct the builders to link much of our electricity needs to solar, saving a fortune in the long run.
Until last Tuesday, the government was giving Australians a rebate if they chose to go ahead with installing solar energy to run your household. And with atake up of about 80,000 households, this was off to a good start. Why on earth they would cancel such a thing is beyond me! Especially after KRudd and many other vocals about the need for greener energy and government’s help toward becoming greener (because that seem to be the only way this is going to happen anytime soon).
In the news report from news.com.au, several people interviewed had ordered the solar and submitted paperwork for a rebate, but now are being told it has been scrapped if you hadn’t done it prior to a certain date.
After hearing a lot of ‘green’ talk in elections, both her and around the world, it’s becoming harder to understand where they are going with all of this, because it seems they implement one thing, and then in the interests of business, they terminate something that was looking like a success. If they are serious about combating the onsets of global warming, and reducing carbon emissions, they need to start sticking to their word (as hard as that is for pollies) and implement more of these schemes.
But it begs the question – Is it worth going solar? Financially speaking, upfront it can be a bit of a stretch, but if you plan to live in that particular home for a long time, then it definitely has it’s upsides. Plus the fact that you don’t jhave to see an integral energy bill hitting your doorstep ever again.
I decided to delve further into the actual costs of getting solar panels, and how much it would take to run my house. We have a relatively average household of 2 adults and 3 children.
Size & Watts: The cost of a panel depends on the Watts it puts out. Basically, panels are priced usually in dollars per Watt. Basiclaly a 100Watt panel will generate 100Watts of electricity per hour.
One of the hardest factors to determine is your energy usage. This will vary every day. The problem is from day to day, the amount of energy you use is not going to remain consistent; however, you should be able to calculate an average of your energy usage. It is always better to over estimate rather than underestimate.
A good rule of thumb is to first calculate your average daily usage and then multiply that number by .25. This will give you the number and size of solar panels you need in kilowatt-hours. Your electric meter provides you with a very straightforward way of knowing how much energy you are using each day. Your meter should have either an odometer style readout or a dial type readout. Your electric company should be able to provide you with instructions on how to read your meter if you are unfamiliar with it. All you will need to do is record the meter reading and then 24 hours later record the reading again. This will tell you the kilowatt hours you have used. You might want to do several readings and average the results you get over a couple of days. Or just work it out from your bill.
Once you have figures out the amount, you need to find the right solar panel. There’s quite a lot of different panels varying from output of Watts and Amps. Generally speaking, it seems like the more expensive they are, the more power they output, which then uses less roof space.
In the end, it will generally take about 15-20 years to pay back the savings of your investment. Depending on your opinion toward climate change will depend on whether you think this is a worthwhile investment.
For me, it’s just a matter of giving government and large organsations les control over what I spend, along with the knowledge that I have contributed less towards the destruction of the place where my children will grow up.
By the way, I’m no greenie and don’t hug trees, but I do think that while we are gifted with a place that has so many things to appreciate that are beautiful, we should at least ‘try’ to do something small. Or in plain English, just give a toss.
Here are some links to help you in your research toward solar energy, and try to write a letter to your local member on the importance of giving us an incentive for doing things such as these.
Have you already installed solar at your work or home?
www.energymatters.com.au
www.gepower.com
PD
