Sunlight converts cold water into hot water. No gasses are emitted and no-one gets hurt. Life is rarely this simple.

The cost of energy is rising, the effect of pollution increasing.

'Water heating accounts for about 30 per cent of an average household's total greenhouse gas emissions and about the same proportion of total household energy use.' (www.greenhouse.gov.au)

Solar hot water systems are highly efficient in their use of solar energy (sunlight) to heat water. The efficiency of solar hot water heaters has increased so much over the past 30 years that solar-powered hot water is possible year-round for most Australian homes. On cloudy days, gas or electric boosters kick in to ensure you are never without hot water.

By installing a solar hot water system, the average Australian household would cut greehouse gas emissions by approximately 34 tons over a 20-year period, thus helping to reduce the threat of global warming.

In addition, by using the sun's energy to heat water you will reduce your household hot-water bills by more than 60 per cent each year, a saving of around $200-$300 each year for the average family (so thousands of dollars over the life of the system).

If you also get renewable electricity then all your hot water can be generated from nature, with no impact on our (or our kids') climate.

A solid, sound and responsible investment in energy efficiency, and guilt-free hot baths.

Do it now!

There are three elements involved in installing a solar hot water system in Australia. These are

1. Finding the right solar hot water system installer;

2. Selecting the right solar hot water system for your household and house;

3. Applying for (and receiving) government rebates

Often all of these elements will be facilitated by the solar hot water installer.

The following questions and tips may be of use:

1.     Finding the right solar hot water system installer

• Will the installer facilitate the complete process (tank selection, install, rebates)? Their level of experience and the advice that they can offer can be the  decisive factor in choosing a solar hot water installer.

• What experience has the company in installing solar hot water systems similar to yours? If you have a special need (eg pool heating) ensure they have done such installations.
• What warranty on the installation of the system does the installer provide? Ensure the installer will guarantee the quality of their installation.

• Ensure competing bids are in the same format - By ensuring that all of the bids you receive are made on the same basis, you'll be able to compare the bids easily.
• Get itemised quotes - This will allow you to evaluate the costs of labour, materials and so on.

2. Selecting the right solar hot water system for your household

Ensure the solar hot water system is the right size for your household -It is critical to choose a system with enough capacity. This will ensure you have sufficient free hot water when the system is operational.

• Decide between a split system, a tank-on-roof system (Thermosiphon) or a heat-pump system - Solar hot water systems can store the heated water either on the roof or in a tank beside the house (like a traditional hot water system). The tank-on-roof has fewer moving parts and is generally cheaper; however, this system may require the roof to be reinforced to bear the additional weight. The split system places the ugly tank out of sight.
• Does the solar hot water system qualify for Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs)http://www.orer.gov.au/recs/index.html or other Government rebates (see below)? Not all systems qualify for RECs or rebates. To get the RECs the system must have been accredited by ORER (www.orer.gov.au).
• What is the warranty on the system? A warranty of ten years on the tank and collectors, and  five or more on the parts and labour is advisable.
• What maintenance services are available for the system?

• How efficiently does the system convert sunlight into heated water? - Comparing the efficiency of the different solar hot water systems is challenging given the lack of industry standard ratings on this metric. In general, systems that use evacuated-tube collecting technology are more efficient than flat panel collectors, especially in winter. However these can be more expensive.
• What is the cost of the system fully installed? The true cost of your solar hot water system can be calculated by subtracting from the installed cost of the system the rebates or RECs you are eligible to receive.

Solar hot water providers in Australia

3.     Applying for (and receiving) government rebates

Federal Government - the Federal Government offers a Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) incentive to homes that convert to solar hot water with accredited systems. The REC is based on the efficiency of the solar hot water system, the greater the incentive. In addition, the Federal Government recently announced a new Australia-wide Solar Hot Water Rebate Program which offers up to $1000 rebate for eligible installations. Interested parties should consult the Australian Greenhouse Office (AGO) website for details of the scheme.

State Government - the following State government incentive schemes can offer further rebates.

• Victoria – In addition to the Federal Government REC program, Victorian households may be eligible for a further rebate of up to $1000 from the Victorian Government. See if you’re eligible here .
• Western Australia – In addition to the Federal Government REC program, Western Australian households may be eligible for a further rebate of up to $700 from the West Australian Government. See if you’re eligible here.

Why this action

is

important

In order for humans to establish a sustainable civilisation, we must harness renewable, local and abundant energy sources such as sunlight. This action cuts a third of the energy use from the average house with a cost-effective investment in sound technology and generates long term returns (financial, environmental and intergenerational).