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Vic Heroes
Victoria’s quiet heroes of suburbia, committed to saving the planet

Some people who have cut their personal energy use by a significant amount

Among the many people who have installed solar power from earlier solar bulk purchases are Victorian MP Judy Maddigan, and Councillor Rose Iser of Moonee Valley City Council. They did it with their own money, for their own personal homes with no publicity. Hundreds of other people have done the same, greatly reducing their energy use and greenhouse emissions. We hope to add more stories about them in future.

Testimonials

From Rose Iser: As a family of four, we have been extremely pleased with the performance of our 1.5kW solar panels. We estimate that the net amount we draw from the grid has reduced from 8kW per day to 1kW per day. Along with plenty of energy saving practices, we are saving money, energy and the planet!
Cr Rose Iser

From Barbara Hutton:

Cool roofing:

Our flat-roofed family room was painted with heat resistant paint in 2008. This room used to get very hot in summer: big windows, not much roof insulation and a metal roof. Now, it’s the coolest room in the house. We sleep there on hot nights. The daytime temperature is probably 6^oC cooler on summer days since it was “cool-roofed”, but it isn’t cold in winter.

Solar

Our solar electric system was installed in October last year. On the bar chart, you can see how high our usage was in the September quarter, before it was done. It fell by more than half at the next bill. By march it was right down to 1.6 kilowatt hours (kWhs) a day, compared to 7.28kWhs in the March quarter of 2008.

Our system is only 1kW. Over a full year it should cut our electricity usage by about half. With a 2kW system, our net electricity consumption for the year could be zero. Our greenhouse gas emissions have fallen, and the cost of electricity is down to less than a dollar a day. Our family is 3 to 4 people, with several computers, two TVs and an inefficient old fridge, dishwasher and washing machine.

Before installing the solar panels we did a few other things to save energy: we changed all the globes in the house over to compact fluorescents, and we’ve reduced the use of the clothes drier and dishwasher. Before that we were probably using about 10 or 12 kWhs a day. The Government has a target of cutting greenhouse emissions by 20% by 2025: it isn’t very ambitious. Our household has cut electricity consumption by three quarters over a couple of years. We could do more. Efficient appliances, and maybe another kW of solar panels, are next.

From Richard Keech:

My goal is zero emissions and lower dependence upon finite resources. I have made good progress toward this goal as follows. I’ve:

- signed up for 100% Green Power so that my mains electricity comes from non-emitting sources;

- put a 1.3kW solar photovoltaic grid-connected installation on my roof;

- purchased an all-electric vehicle for round-town use;

- My family's second car is now a fuel efficient turbo diesel, using much less fuel;

- I've installed a high-efficiency solar hot water system which combines evacuated-tube solar collectors with an electric heat pump for boosting;

- I've added under-floor insulation, and added additional ceiling insulation in my house.

- All the incandescent lights in my house have been replaced with CFLs;

- Water tanks. I've now got 6kL of tanks, plumbed into to toilet and laundry.

The solar PV system has generated about 3800 kWh (in March 2010). It was commissioned on October 2007, so it is an average of 4.26kWhs a day. Now that the feed in-tariff applies, if say 75% of that energy is exported to the grid (a reasonable assumption), then the next 3800 kWh will earn $1709.
The car has travelled 12000km since conversion. If I hadn't converted it and travelled the same distance fuelled by petrol then I would have emitted 148g/km, ie 1776kg of CO₂.
The solar HWS savings are harder to reckon...What I can say is that my hot water service has required zero boosting since mid October, i.e. solar energy has provided my entire HWS energy requirements in that time. I think I may have close to the most efficient domestic solar HWS [evacuated solar tubes with a heat pump] around.

To add your own story, email it to info@vicheroes.com.au. You do not have to be a fanatic about saving energy. Every little bit of advice helps.

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Vic Heroes is an independent solar buying group committed to providing information and practical steps to cut greenhouse emissions. We select ethical suppliers providing good reliable products, value for money and significant energy savings.