Ever googled ‘can I be sunburnt by the moon?’… well, you’re not alone. It’s one of the questions that Dom Fay and Zach Mander from Collective Noun are looking to answer in season two of our podcast So Watt?. We’re looking at the transition to a cleaner energy system, powered predominantly by renewables, including solar power (sadly there’s no lunar power…yet).
Plug in your headphones, settle in and listen to the episode below or read on for a recap.
Episode two aims to answer questions like: what’s the cost of switching to renewables for Aussie households? And is solar worthwhile, even though feed-in tariffs are going down? Can you make your home more energy efficient? Let’s take a look.
DIY
As you know, Aussies love all things DIY. The Saturday afternoon trip to Bunnings is a cultural institution. And there are plenty of DIY energy efficiency projects that homeowners can try.
There are simple, passive solutions to reduce energy use – like installing blinds, and planting trees to provide shade. Double glazing for windows, and seasonal window shutters can also help to reduce or maximise solar exposure.
If you’re building or renovating, there’s bigger projects you can take on to improve energy efficiency – like upgrading insulation, fitting insulated doors, creating zoned living spaces that can be sealed off to keep warmth or cool air in, and installing oversized eaves.
Join the Loop
Across Australia, more than 3 million homes already have rooftop solar systems – with an increasing amount of people adding battery storage to help store their unused solar energy to use later.
Origin’s Virtual Power Plant (VPP), Loop, rewards people for making their home battery available to discharge to help manage demand on the network. You can use the stored energy around your home, and if the network needs energy, we can take some from the VPP rather than from other sources. You’ll also get a credit on your bill, helping reduce the payback period on your home battery.
In fact, there are now more than 121,000 devices connected to Loop, contributing 258 Megawatts to the energy network – which is a lot. Origin plans to have 2 Gigawatts of capacity in Loop, and by 2050, AEMO predicts there will be 31 gigawatts of dispatchable power coming from VPPs around the country, along with other ideas like Vehicle 2 Grid – where your electric vehicle acts as a battery to power your home.
These are some of the ways Aussies can increase their energy self-sufficiency, bring their energy bills down, and help reduce carbon emissions.
Go big
To achieve net zero by 2050, the energy system will need more large-scale renewable wind and solar projects like Darling Downs solar farm which has almost half a million solar panels generating over 100 Megawatts of power.
We’ll also need more battery storage to shift some of our renewable generation outside the peak load and start seeing a smoother generation of renewables into the electricity market. And with this, comes the need for more infrastructure to connect these large-scale renewable projects to where the energy is needed.
Get smart
More Australians are now active participants in the energy system by having solar on their roofs and being generators and exporters of energy. Those with batteries, and those who are part of Loop, are also able to choose how they share and use the energy they generate – and are even being rewarded for it.
Other ways to reduce energy use and be part of the energy transition is by signing up to Spike – our energy-saving rewards program. During ‘Spike Hour’, customers get rewarded with points for reducing their energy use. It’s actions like turning off the lights and not using the clothes dryer. And those points can be redeemed for cash.
Australia is uniquely positioned to be a leader in the renewable transition – we’ve got a lot of sun, and many of our detached or semi-detached homes are suitable for rooftop solar. We’re also early adopters of all sorts of technology. So, while change is happening across our energy network, there are ways to get involved now and make an impact at home and for the planet.
Hosts, Zach and Dom from Collective Noun admit they know nothing about energy – but not for long! Origin’s So Watt? podcast questions everything you thought you knew about energy, and explores the solutions that exist today. In season two of So Watt?, go on a journey with Zach and Dom to find out more about the transition to renewables, what changes are already happening and what’s coming up.
