I’m pretty sure that date is accurate, and nearly 3kW of solar was horrendously expensive.

Back when I had long hair, solar was pretty basic, and so were the electricity supply, metering, and billing.

It’s wistful thinking to imagine we’re going back to simpler times. But today, it makes sense to streamline and rein in your bills equally.

[Read more…]

The parts of your apartment you can insulate depend on four main factors:

1. Whether you own or rent
2. Whether the work affects common property
3. Whether it changes the building’s outside look
4. Which state you live in

These points will help you figure out what you can do right away, what needs approval, and what isn’t allowed at all.

[Read more…]

EV charging, heating, and cooling are usually the biggest electrical loads you can shift. We’ve already talked about heating and cooling in another part of this series, and we’ve also covered EVs. After those, hot water and the pool pump are usually next. But not all appliances can be shifted. Here’s how to figure out which ones you can move, and how to do it.

[Read more…]

Home batteries can lower electricity bills, and those benefits can be even greater when batteries are coordinated through virtual power plants (VPPs).

But a new report from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) points out that asking people to hand over some control of a battery they’ve paid for requires confidence that it will be used in their best interests. [Read more…]

A three-year Australian trial involving almost 300 households has found participants paid less for imported electricity, earned more from their solar exports and became more confident the energy system was working fairly. [Read more…]

Australia has become a rooftop solar powerhouse, but millions of renters are still missing out on the technologies helping homeowners slash their energy bills — a gap which a new report says could be closed through mandatory minimum energy-efficiency standards for rental properties. [Read more…]

As winter closes in again I’ve set about some improvements to casa del cottage.

So can you retrofit efficiency? Yes, but it’s difficult to get the best results – especially when you’ve already got solar. [Read more…]

NSW is quietly setting the stage for a major change in property marketing: home energy ratings could eventually become mandatory for all homes listed for sale or rent. Starting from mid 2026, sellers and landlords can voluntarily include NatHERS energy ratings in listings, but the government’s policy signals that mandatory disclosure is likely the next step. [Read more…]

A home with a pool that had solar installed by Springers Solar.

Are swimming pools expensive to run? Absolutely, a pool is basically a big hole, which you need to pour electricity into to keep it clean.

Read on while we examine a few ways to minimise the cost and maximise your solar efficiency.

[Read more…]

The Iran war is ushering in an extended period of supercharged oil and gas prices. Experts say Australians can insulate themselves from rising bills by electrifying their home and transport – here’s how.

[Read more…]