Electricity prices

I will have to rethink the production of electricity in the home as prices are to rise 60%. I think that small generation and power storage might be the way to go. The way to do this is to have a stand alone system to power lights and use LEDS light emitting diodes instead of globes all running on twelve volts and the mains power as backup source this would save 10% of your light bill which is about twenty dollars a bill. the system would cost about $50 per light and switches say $10 each and batteries $200 each panels $800 each total 7 lightsx 50 = 350 + pannel 800 + switches 70 +wire 50 + batteries 200 = $1500 At this rate it would take 7.5 years to pay back. Without rebate not quite there yet. I will evaluate it again in the future..cheers Stewart

Led lighting

I think the only way to use led lights inside the home is to run them from a battery at twelve volts and charge the battery with a solar panel.Or use garden lights and put them out during the day to charge.The savings is only about 10% of you bill but as we have just seen the price of electricity is to rise 60%. It is probably worth looking into,Bunnings have some ball shaped lights that can be hung and are ten dollars each they give good light for there size..cheers Stewart

imagineering-engineering

imagineering-engineering has further postings cheers Stewart

solar blinds

Hang sheets of corrigated iron from your eaves to stop heat entering you house or shed.They would stop radient heat in a bush fire entering your house threw the windows.

How to get rebate from the government

• Please note that the reverse cycle hot water heater can have noise associated with them and it is usually at night that they work.You could inadvertently annoy your neighbours.
  
• This is a copy from the government web site I hope this is informative for you. cheers Stewart
• ....................................................................................................................................................................
  
• Eligibility
  • people rebuilding following the February 2009 Victorian bush fires
  • new eligibility requirements for Queensland
  • general eligibility requirements.
• How to apply - guidelines and application form
• Role of installers
• Information for installers
• Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs)

The Australian Government is offering a rebate of $1,600 to install a solar hot water system or $1,000 to install a heat pump hot water system. This is to help eligible home-owners, landlords or tenants to replace their electric storage hot water systems with solar or heat pump hot water systems. This offer is part of the Government's Energy Efficient Homes Package which came into effect on 3 February 2009.

The Solar Hot Water Rebate will help people save money on their power bills and reduce their household's greenhouse gas emissions. Water heating is the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions from the average Australian home, accounting for around 25 per cent of home energy use (excluding the family car).

Installing a climate friendly hot water system can save a family up to $700 off their energy bills each year.

Further information

• Frequently asked questions

Eligibility requirements

The Solar Hot Water Rebate is only available to people who have not previously received assistance to install ceiling insulation through the Home Insulation Program or the Homeowner Insulation Program at this address.

The $1,000 rebate for heat pump hot water systems is for systems purchased and installed on or after 5 September 2009. Heat pump hot water systems purchased or installed on or prior to 4 September 2009 may be eligible for a $1,600 rebate if proof of purchase or installation prior to this date is included with the application.

Full details of eligibility are provided in the Solar Hot Water Rebate guidelines. Key criteria are listed below.

Applicants rebuilding following the February 2009 Victorian bush fires

From 5 September 2009 the Solar Hot Water Rebate will be opened up to people who lost their homes in the February 2009 Victorian bush fires and have rebuilt. The rebate is not usually available for people building new homes, but the Government is making an exception for homes destroyed in the February 2009 fires.

A special application cover form will be available shortly.

Important eligibility requirements for Queensland

Access to the Queensland Government's Solar Hot Water Program relies on applicants being eligible for the Australian Government's Solar Hot Water Rebate.

If you have already received assistance under the Australian Government's Home Insulation Program or Homeowner Insulation Program you will not be eligible for either the Australian Government's Solar Hot Water Rebate or the Queensland Government's Solar Hot Water Program.

Please contact the Queensland Solar Hot Water Program for further information on 13 25 23 or visit: www.cleanenergy.qld.gov.au/queensland_solar_hot_water_program.cfm

Eligible systems

To be eligible for the rebate, a hot water system must:

• replace an electric storage hot water system (Exception: if your home was destroyed in the February 2009 Victorian bush fires, you may be eligible for the rebate for your newly rebuilt home on the same site, provided the home also includes a 2000 litre rainwater tank (compliant with Victorian 5-star building standards) which is connected to the dwelling for toilet flushing).
• be purchased and installed on, or after 3 February 2009
• be a solar or heat pump hot water system that is eligible for at least 20 Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) at the time and place of installation
• be installed by a suitably qualified person (for example an electrician or plumber).

Eligible households

• An owner-occupier, landlord or tenant can apply for the rebate as long as the dwelling where the hot water system is installed is a principal place of residence.
• Government organisations are not eligible for the rebate.

How to apply

Important information

• Applying for the rebate is straightforward and simple.
• Only individuals aged 18 years and over who are the owner or tenant of the dwelling are eligible to apply.
• Only apply for the rebate after the system has been installed.
• The rebate is not available as a point of sale discount nor can a retailer, installer or commercial business apply for the rebate on behalf of their customers.
• To claim a rebate, you need to submit an application using the application form which is below. The application form is also included as part of the guidelines.
• You have up to six months after an eligible system is installed to submit an application form.
• You should allow eight weeks for the application to be processed.
• Please attach a copy of your purchase receipts which clearly indicate whether you have installed a solar or heat pump hot water system with the application. No other supporting documentation is to be submitted with the application.
• Under the Solar Hot Water Rebate you are required to agree that, if requested, you will provide evidence to support claims made in the application as part of an audit process to ensure you meet the program guidelines. For example, proof of system installation or allowing an authorised representative access to your property may be requested at a later date.

Application information

Please read all material and ensure you meet all eligibility requirements before applying.

Download

A booklet incorporating all documents and information you will need on the rebate

• Solar Hot Water Rebate guidelines and application form (PDF - 332 KB) | (RTF - 1295 KB)

Your application will need the following information:

1. Date of installation of your new solar or heat pump hot water system.
2. Type of system (ie solar hot water or heat pump system).
3. BSB Number - six digit number which identifies the bank/financial institution and branch where your bank account is held.
4. Bank Account Number where the rebate is to be deposited.

Application Form

You can apply by using the application form included in the guidelines or by downloading and printing the form below and sending it to:

Solar Hot Water Rebate
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
GPO Box 787
Canberra ACT 2601

Download

• Solar Hot Water Rebate application form (PDF - 83 KB) | (RTF - 493 KB)

For more information you can also contact our national information line on 1800 808 571.

What is the role of the installer?

To be eligible for the rebate, a hot water system must be installed by a licensed electrician or plumber as required under standard regulations. The licensed installer must sign your application form verifying that:

• The system is a new and complete hot water system that replaces an existing electric storage hot water system previously operational at the dwelling.
• The system is eligible for at least 20 RECs at the time and place of installation.
• Installers are also required to provide other technical and installation details including the tank number of the new system and the installation date. Installers are aware of the process and have easy access to the information.

It should take no more than a few minutes for them to complete their part of the form.

We recommend you seek around three quotes to ensure you are getting the best value for your system.

Information for installers

Licensed plumbers and electricians have an important role in the rebate application process. Installers need to complete and sign part of their customer’s application form at the time the system is installed. Completing these parts of the application form is straightforward and only takes a few minutes. The information provided by installers is used by the Australian Government to verify certain eligibility requirements for the rebate.

Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs)

Under the Australian Government's Renewable Energy Target (RET) - a scheme set up under Commonwealth law to promote the development of renewable energy - new solar and heat pump hot water heaters may be eligible to create Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). Households can create and trade these certificates on their own, but it is more common for Registered Agents to create and trade RECs on behalf of households. The RECs benefit for consumers usually comes as a point of sale discount. Most retailers will advise potential buyers how many RECs are provided by each solar or heat pump hot water system model and how much each of those RECs are worth at today's prices (the price of RECs vary according to market forces). The retailers then provide a discount to the buyer, meaning the cost of the hot water system to the householder is reduced..

Hot water system retailers can also advise you on the number of RECs assigned to a system.

More information about RECs is available on the Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator website:

• Renewable Energy Certificates - Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator
• Solar Hot Water Heaters - Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator

• Energy Efficient Homes Package Call Centre: 1800 808 571

• Linking to the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts web site

  Linking to any material on this web site is permitted, provided that the link is not done in a manner that might mislead or deceive any person, and providing that the links are made at your full expense and responsibility. You must not:

• imply that the Australian Government endorses the web site or product
• use Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts solely for commercial practices
• alter any of the web site's contents
• change the content of the material technically (e.g. the material is presented in a frame and users are unable to determine the location of the original material)
• contravene government policy
• provide a link to the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts web site from a site that is not in the public interest.

The Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts Web Site Manager may withdraw permission at anytime.

homemade solar hot water

Solar hot water heater is made from an old keg that I got from the rubbish tip for $5 and the pannel cost two dollars.All up with plumbing it was about $50.The keg is insulated with old carpet.Another way would be to put the keg into an old fridge with a glass sheet instead of the door.Paint the keg black and put alimiumn foil on the inside of the fridge, paint the outside of the fridge black, face it to the sun and wolla

power

I want people to think about the cost of power to your house. Now ask yourself this question, can I produce it cheaper myself? My last bill was for $195 for three months thats about $2 per day. Now I cannot produce the power for that, but I do produce some of it being hot water. If the price went to $10 per day I would concider cogeneration on a small scale, Cogeneration is simply taking the heat and electricity produced and using it all. The system is simply a generator and water cooling the engine. Now if I were traveling in a car and caravan or a motor home I would look at heating the water from the exhaust pipe for showers and washing. This is free energy that is produced and is not being used. cheers Stewart

solar who pays

Solar energy is produced by the suns action on a panel producing electricity or heat for hot water or air.

Notice that on you energy bill that hot water and heating is the largest component so this is where you get the best value for dollar spent on solar.

Light is about 10% of the bill,refrigeration is another 10% so if your bill is $100 then the light and refrigeration component is about $10 each.Heating is the remainder 80% or $80.

One solar panel for electricity with one battery operating only lights will save you $10 off the bill.

One panel and battery and lights on a stand alone system would cost you about $1000.

This being the case it will take you 100 bills to pay you back or four bills per year times the years 25 . 1000 divided x 10 = 100 divided x 4 = 25 years.

So this is not a good return for your money.

On the other hand solar hot water is different that is $ 80 x 4 bills = $320 / years x 10 years = $ 3200 which is the cost of a solar hot water system.

This is not taking into account the government rebates which is the similar for both electric generation and hot water.

If I were spending your money I would go for hot water followed by insulation of your home first in that order...cheers Stewart

power

I think this is a little doozy.
standby dos'nt use much power

Even when turned off, appliances can still draw power. New Zealanders use more electricity keeping products on standby than we do actually using them.

wind power and hydro power

Monday, September 28, 2009

Don't be fooled into saving 90% of your electricity from the wind or water power. It can be done and is only for knowledgeable amateur's. There is many pitfalls along the way there is some good stuff to be learnt from the net and would advise the following site. www.mdpub.com/Wind_Turbine/index.html This is one of the better sites for good information, what would happen if the turbine was in suburbia and the fan blade hurt someone. Could it happen, yes, we built a car with a fan driving it and I rolled it and the blades smashed and the blades went over 200 yards from the crash site. I'm not saying don't do it cause it is fun and yes you can save money try charging batteries at first then go onto bigger stuff.
Little generator little power little money little trouble, big generator big every thing else.
Our water generator (hydro electric) was 7.5 kilowatts three phase using a cross flow turbine, 12 inches wide 14inch diameter running at 200rpm, driving a generator at 1500 rpm, and a head of water of 4 metres and a water flow of 3,000 gallons / minute. this might sound complicated and to the untrained it is.
If you have any questions I will try to answer them here. cheers Stewart

solar energy who pays

I am one for sustainability and green things.
Be warned you set up a solar array guaranteed for twenty years you get a pittance in return for your out lay.
In twenty years the thing breaks down no warranty, say it draws from the grid and your bills go up.
Now who pays not the electric company you do...don't believe me then. What about the new car you bought with 3 years ago out of warranty and it broke down and you needed a new computer chip , a thousand you say as you part with your money...

Say an array cost you 10,000 and you save say 300 dollars a year on your bills. what is the interest on the 10,000 over a year at 5% is about $500 at the end of twenty years you probably have trebled your money and the warranty hasn't run out...this is just food for thought.
Solar hot water and space heating are different.I have solar hot water on my roof and am looking at heating the house as well. Cheers Stewart
Check out the warranty post on imagingeering-engineering Gundagai

check this out

Check out imagineering engineering gundagai its a more intense site

green sustainable cheep electricity and lights

This is my old mate Donny the owner of the famous race horse Sanjapaddy,the sun was shining and we went to the rubbish tip and Donny said you could furnish a house from here . So I thought it could be done so went about it because Donny got a bit giddy so I got a chair for him to sit on, He said carpet would be good and the carpet was found and another chair for me. He said the cricket was on and he said a bit of telly might go good and a table and TV were found as well, A wind break was fashioned and a smoke detector was placed in the tree above him pots and pans and there it is home sweet home. Then this lady came to the tip and was asking Donny what he was doing and he said waiting for the cricket to come on! Pity we didn't have electricity but if I looked hard enough I would have found that too....cheers Stewart

lies taken from a web site on solar energy

wow using energy when power is turned off? don't believe everything that is spruked off about in the media and the Internet....this is how it read

"unplug devices that are always using electricity, such as cell phone chargers or computers. A startling fact is that on average, 75% of electricity consumed by home appliances is when they are turned off."


This was written by a person who says you can make your own solar panels for one hundred dollars.
There is a lot of work assembling a panel and if one connection brakes the panel wont work.
Do you have the equipment to work out where the brake is?
Started small an got bigger with the things Ive done over many years .
I myself would not entertain building a grid interactive solar system as the problems can be immense. By all means have a go at making a panel...make a smaller panel first to charge batteries or light an area at night , and with experience you learn, you can go on to bigger things . My blogspot started small and grew slowly so did the things we made. cheers Stewart

diy solar

Solar hot water heater is made from an old keg that I got from the rubbish tip for $5 and the pannel cost two dollars.All up with plumbing it was about $50.The keg is insulated with old carpet.Another way would be to put the keg into an old fridge with a glass sheet instead of the door.Paint the keg black and put alimiumn foil on the inside of the fridge, paint the outside of the fridge black, face it to the sun and wolla batch solar heater..cheers Stewart