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Sheridan, Roving reporter

Living with solar

What comes to the mind of average Australians when they hear the word solar power? Expensive? Must be greenies? No widescreen TV or hair dryers?

You might be surprised at how many people think of solar power in a negative way, or maybe you're one of them. In the past solar power and renewable energies have been given a bad name by some.

People think of it as an alternative way to power a house. "Alternative" kind of seems like a dirty word in people’s minds, like something that you wouldn’t want to be associated with. Some Australians' minds have been set to thinking that fuels like coal and oil would last forever. But we now know that this isn’t the case.

More popular and less expensive

Solar power and other renewable energies are becoming increasingly more popular. The costs of installing and manufacturing the solar panels are also lowering. Over the past two decades the costs have decreased by 20%, making them more and more affordable to the public.

At the same time the cost of generating energy from conventional sources has risen, which has heavily influenced electricity prices. This means that solar is something we need to invest in more and more.

I have lived in a home powered only from solar power for the past thirteen years. My opinion is that having a home powered from solar is far from a negative thing. There are some things that we have not been able to have because of the restrictions on how much power we can use, but this is only because we didn’t have a particularly large amount of panels.

Microwave ovens and large wattage kitchen appliances as well as an electrical fridge are some of the things I had lived without for a number of years. But these are not essential items. When my parents first installed our solar system there was no such thing as government help to set it up and the cost was a lot more expensive.

We have since bought more panels to add to the existing ones so we are now able to run large power appliances. With money available to help get them running, solar systems are much more affordable, so you can use anything that you would if you were running your home off the main power grid.

The rewards

The rewards of going solar for the long run are great. Having no electricity bill can mean a huge amount of money saved for families. Even though when I was younger there was some things that we could not have, it has made me value what I already had.

Having TV and computer times cut down, although this might sound bad to most, is something that kids need. But now with funding and low wattage appliances available there is no need to miss out on all the luxuries of life when using solar power.

The environmental benefits of using solar power are immense. 84% of Australians have expressed concern about the current state our environment, with 38% of these being very concerned.

For me it’s a great feeling to know that when I switch on a light or chat to my friends online I am not affecting the environment. Switching off the lights and the TV when I leave a room is a habit for me - a habit which nowhere near enough people have.

Leaving rooms with lights, TVs and computers running for hours is doing nothing but causing harmful greenhouse gases to be sent off into the atmosphere. Doing this is adding to the worldwide problems like Global Warming.

You can do something

90% of Victorians feel they can do something about the environment as individuals and 82% of Australians feel it is worth doing something to help the environment even if others do not. These facts demonstrate that for some people renewable energy is something they would certainly consider.

The mindset about renewable energy needs to be changed. Everyone has a voice that they can put out in the community to boost the popularity of things like solar. If it’s something that would work in your area and home life then it’s an investment that rewards for life.

Having grown up with it, solar is normal for my family and me. Our home and land is very environmentally friendly. As well as solar power we have previously had a small wind turbine to provide power. Currently we have solar hot water and our house is designed to need the lowest amount of heating and cooling. We also have a large yard to add to the self-sufficient design of property.

When asked why my parents made the decision to use solar power and the other environmentally friendly concepts of our home my father says, “We had a strong desire to live closer to nature and to provide a sustainable measure of self reliance in our daily lives."

Living the way I do is not something I resent. It's something I am grateful for. It has taught me a lot, like the fact that being able to go without the inessentials makes the luxuries more appreciated. Looking after the environment is something that is important to me so by living my life this way I am achieving this.

All statistics in this article come from the Sustainabilty Victoria Green Light Report.

For more articles about the environment, check out our Articles archive.

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