You’ve made the smart choice to install a solar power system and now you’re saving money, but could you be saving more? Let’s maximise your solar savings with these tips!
Get on top of your appliance use
Use more electricity during daylight hours, whilst your solar panels are generating energy:
- Use rechargeable appliances so you can charge during the day and use at night e.g. cordless vacuum
- Set timers on appliances, so that they run during the day e.g. washing machine
- Have fewer appliances on at the same time e.g. run the dishwasher after the washing machine has finished
- Turn appliances off at the wall when not in use, as the standby mode still uses energy
- Select a cold wash and shorter cycle when using your washing machine
- Check the seal on your fridge door, if it’s faulty your fridge will be using more energy to stay cool
Lighting
- Switch to LED lighting in your home, and sensor lights outside
Cooking
- Invest in a slow cooker! Not only will you make some delicious dishes, but you will be optimising the energy during the day and avoiding the use of an electric stove and kettle, which are high energy-consuming appliances!
Heating and cooling
- When the sun is still out, set your air-con or heater on timers to bring your home to your desired temperature and then switch it off at night
- Set your air-con or heater at a reasonable temperature – the harder these devices must work, the more energy they will consume. This means you won’t want to blast the air-con on cold to the point you are wrapped up like an Eskimo indoors during summer. A comfortable 20-25 degrees should be sufficient enough on the warmer days.
- Check your windows and door seals – if they are faulty your home’s air temperature will change and you’ll find yourself reaching for the air-con or heating remote again
- Use fans instead of air conditioning where possible
- Keep blinds closed if you’re trying to keep the room cool
Invest in solar battery storage
A solar battery is an additional component to a solar system that becomes charged from excess energy generated from the solar panels. This battery then stores that charge to be used later. The stored power can be used when a home’s solar panels are no longer generating energy – in other words, when the sun is not out. Whilst adding a battery may lower your power bill further the return on investment may not be beneficial to your financial situation until battery prices lower. Learn more on batteries here.
Other
- Insulate your home
- Do an energy audit to see where your high energy use is coming from, so you can better manage your consumption
Find a local accredited Energy Assessor for a home energy audit.
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