David Sellen is excited to use a clothes dryer and his deluxe coffee machine while barely paying a cent on his next power bill.
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He's about to have his third household battery installed while also enjoying an upgraded solar panel system.
"I don't walk out to the clothesline and put clothes on the line anymore," he said. "I tell everyone if the gate is open, the coffee's on."
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As talk about gas, nuclear and other energy sources rage on, Labor has pledged to offer a 30 per cent discount to households on the purchase and installation cost of a battery, which the party says will save about $4000 on a typical one.
David, 68, and his wife Sandie, faced power bills of up to $800 - even with solar panels installed - as up to three generations and 12 people occupied their house at any one time.
But the grandparents are upgrading their solar system to 15kW and will have a combined 30.3kW of power from three batteries, anticipating their next power will be zero.
He was able to get a $2400 discount on the batteries through NSW's Peak Demand Reduction Scheme.
Using a clothes dryer in winter guilt-free excites Mr Sellen the most, as he can wash and dry the grandchildren's' wet and dirty clothes after school before their parents collect them.
What's involved in installing solar?
Energy expert and UTS Consultant Project Manager Jonathan Prendergast said for a retired homeowner, a modest rooftop solar system of between $5000-$8000 can promote self-sufficiency, reduce electricity bills and free up cash.
Among the equipment installed will be the panels themselves, plus an inverter to help send the power generated to your appliances and the grid.
You may choose to add a battery to store excess power generated by your system and use it at night when electricity charges may be higher.
What size system do I need?
The total power-generating capacity of your solar system will depend on your household's average consumption.
Kilowatt-hour (kWh) is a measure of energy; you can see how many kWh your house uses by looking at the 'average daily use' on your power bill.
According to Edith Cowan University senior lecturer in power engineering Dr Asma Aziz, you can work out your system size by dividing your daily energy use (kWh) by the average sunlight hours - between 4-7.5 hours in Australia.
For example, if a home uses 20kWh per day and gets five hours of peak sunlight, the required system size would be: 20 kWh/5 hrs = 4kW.
What sorts of homes can get solar installed?
Homes of all shapes and sizes can have it installed, even units with strata approval.
How much does a solar system power?
Dr Aziz said a well-sized solar system can power most household appliances during sunlight hours, including high-energy ones like washing machines, heaters, and air conditioners. A typical Australian home uses 15-20kWh per day, while a single-person home may use 8-12kWh.
How much will power bills decrease by?
Households could save about $1500 a year on power bills by having a solar rooftop system installed, according to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
What senior discounts are there for solar?
The Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES) is available nationally, and cuts the upfront costs by about 30 per cent.
Other discounts are available in some states and territories.
ACT: Up to $5000 in rebates are available for concession, Department of Veterans Affairs Gold, and Heath Care card homeowners to install rooftop solar and other energy-efficient products, including electric stove tops and ovens, and reverse-cycle air-conditioning.
VIC: A rebate of up to $1400 is available for owner-occupiers of homes with a combined taxable income of all owners under $210,000 and the house is valued at less than $3 million, among other terms and conditions.
SA: The City of Adelaide council offers concession card holders, tenants and strata managed residential properties in that district access to 20 per cent discounts off the upfront cost of new solar panel installations.
WA: Residents in councils participating in the Switch Your Thinking program may be able to get discounts on certain solar products, including inverters and solar panels.
Visit www.energy.gov.au/solar for more information.
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