For most Australians, hot water heat pumps are the most energy-efficient way to heat water.

According to installers we trust, what are the best brands in Australia in 2025?

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Solar hot water panels going on my roof in 2013.

Two years ago, I ripped a perfectly functional solar thermal hot water system off my roof. It had been sitting there for a decade, dutifully heating about 70% of my water with the sun’s heat (the rest boosted by gas). [Read more…]

I inadvertently brought a flyer home from a trade show recently, and my wife did a double take that stopped her and the recycling process in its tracks. She was fascinated and horrified at the WiFi control logo on this hot water tank

“I can’t even have a shower in peace now…WHY ! does hot water need WiFi?“

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Finally, something that’s genuinely German in the solar industry… sheet copper is no longer made in Australia, sadly.

If we’ve noticed anything of late in the SolarQuotes office, it’s that water heating isn’t just a mundane task; it’s a subject passionately debated and deeply entrenched. Who would have thought? [Read more…]

Last week, I extolled the virtues of heat pumps, lauding their unparalleled efficiency. As promised, it’s time to investigate why these newfangled appliances might not be as splendid as they seem. [Read more…]

Having observed countless passionate discussions in various online forums on hot water heat pumps, it’s clear to me that people care – a lot – about this seemingly mundane subject.

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Evaluating the Cost-effectiveness of Heat Pumps vs. Solar and Resistive HWS [Read more…]

A well-meaning plumber recently made a mistake that could have cost a friend hundreds of dollars. Fortunately for her, I was on hand to save the day by explaining that because of her high solar feed-in tariff, her hot water system should only be turned on at night. [Read more…]

Last week Finn got me into hot water.  He did this by referring me to a study called::

“Analysis of electricity consumption and thermal storage of domestic electric water heating systems to utilize excess PV generation”

Let me translate that from Academeze into English for you:

Are electric hot water systems any good at soaking up excess solar electricity?

Here are some of the findings: [Read more…]

Rocco was burned by rules saying he could not have a solar feed-in-tariff AND off-peak hot water.

Updated with comment from United Energy: A tale brought to our attention by reader Rocco is a handy reminder customers and retailers need to read the fine print of their solar feed-in-tariff contracts – and also brought to our attention how complex wholesaler and retailer rules can get. [Read more…]