"I wouldn't go back": How a Glen Waverley couple pay nothing for energy using solar

Close to a third of homes in the Knox LGA have had solar panels installed, according to data from the not-for-profit solar data and research organisation, the Australian ​​Photovoltaic Institute.

Increasingly adopted across the country, the Eastern Melburnian used the API research to assess solar’s popularity in the east, and how much money you can save by installing a solar system on your home or business.

How popular is solar in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs?

According to the research, about 61,640 houses use solar or photovoltaic (PV) panels, representing 31.1 percent of houses, across Knox.

Following close behind was Yarra Ranges at 29.4 percent and Monash at 25.7 percent.

Whitehorse was in last place across the eastern suburbs LGAs, with 22.9 percent of houses utilising solar energy.

As of 30 September 2024, hotspots for solar installations included Rowville with 12,319 homes or about 38.4 percent of dwellings and Silvan with 44.4 percent of all dwellings using solar infrastructure.

How popular is solar nationally?

According to the Clean Energy Regulator, in 2024 there were over four million solar power systems installed in Australian homes and small businesses.

An estimated 10.8 million households (37 percent of homes in Australia) currently have solar panels installed.

How much can you save?

According to the Clean Energy Council, Australian power bills could rise by 30 percent for households and 41 percent for small businesses by 2030, “further aggravating the cost-of-living crisis”. This increase was based on a projected reduction in renewable energy investment before 2030 and the nation relying on coal capacity for longer than recommended.

In 2023, the CSIRO estimated the average homeowner could save as much as $2,250 per year on their power bill by converting to an electric car and all-electric appliances.

In Victoria, a typical house consumes an average of around 12 kilowatt hours of electricity per day. Over one year, a 1.5 to 3 kilowatt solar panel system can generate around 45 to 90 percent of this, though the amount generated by the system varies throughout the year as the amount of daily sunshine changes.

The higher your daytime consumption, the higher amount of PV-generated electricity you will use.

Typically, about 30 to 50 percent of the electricity generated by a PV system is consumed in the home, with the remainder then exported to the grid.

Battery benefits

In 2014, Donvale resident Bruce Leister noticed his energy bill was almost $1,000 a year and decided to install solar panels on his home.

After seeing his energy costs cut in half, he then started thinking about getting a solar battery installed and started the process in 2023.

“Solar panels are just magic,” he told the Eastern Melburnian.

“You’ve got these things sitting on the roof and they produce electricity.

“That’s magic as far as I’m concerned because it just does it, you don’t need anything “

Bruce said he wished he installed more panels and installed a battery with more capacity, but only went with the capacity he thought he needed at the time, as well as his budget at the time.

“I didn’t really think ahead and say, “I’m going to need a bigger battery if I’m using more electricity, I just said, “This is the battery I need for now,” he said.

“I would have made a different choice.”

Bruce said after moving into the house in 1987, he made the jump in 2014 towards solar power to drive down energy costs and do his bit towards cutting back on the pressure put on fossil fuel production.

“I’ve done this because I think I’ve got another 20 years living in this house,” he said.

“I can get the payback on it all and hopefully contribute something to cut down on carbon emissions and to save myself money.”

No energy bills

“We don’t pay for any electricity,” Heather told the Eastern Melburnian.

“With the rebates, we only ended up paying $12,500,” Richard said.

Heather said she has been frustrated by perceived political advocacy for the fossil fuel industry from both Labor and the Coalition.

A year after installing the solar system, the pair bought their electric vehicle, which Heather said saved them money on petrol and cut down on their carbon emissions. In 2024, the pair decided to remove all gas appliances as well.

“We wanted to get off fossil fuel,” she said.

“Not buying petrol, not having to pay for electricity, it’s all just worked out perfectly for us.

“I wouldn’t go back. I encourage anybody that possibly can to do it.”