Renewable energy franchises ZEN explain the savings in going solar

Installing solar energy and hot water systems can have more than just a positive impact for the environment. Juan and Margaret Hooper’s decision to go solar earlier this year and install a 10 panel solar energy and hot water system from ZEN Home Energy Systems , was driven by cost savings.

After receiving state and federal rebates, the couple invested approximately $8,000 at their Aldinga Beach home in South Australia for about $20,000 worth of the most advanced solar technology from sustainable energy franchises, ZEN Home energy systems.

“We’ve also become increasingly conscious of our own environmental footprint,” Juan says. “Seeing the dollars saved for every kilowatt hour we produce in solar energy and the amount of carbon dioxide we’ve reduced is a real incentive to think smarter about our energy consumption at home.”

Financial benefits are expected to be hundreds of thousands of dollars each year and Juan is optimistic despite not yet receiving a bill.

“I am positive this will prove to be a smart investment and a key asset for our house should we ever wish to sell in the future,” Juan says.

A variety of home systems comprising panels and a control system are available and can be installed to offset a portion or whole home electricity usage. This in turn can either reduce a households power bill directly or attract government paid feed-in tariffs for solar system owners feeding renewable power back into the network .

State and territory feed-in tariff calculations vary and in NSW and the ACT, solar-generated power is fed directly back into the system at a set rate while in VIC, QLD and SA, solar-generated power is used first by the household and any excess power is fed into the grid at a set rate.

Chief Executive of ZEN Home Energy Systems, Richard Turner, says under the federal government scheme, households and businesses can earn solar credits that reduce the initial cost of a system.

“The bigger the system, the faster the return on the investment,” he says.

Turner reports that the average household uses 20 kilowatt hours of power daily and it costs about $3,300 for a 1.5kWh system from the renewable energy franchises, which powers one-quarter of the average home. Householders then receive solar credits valued at $6,200.

So while initial costs for a solar energy system for the whole home may come in at about $20,000, solar credits may equal $10.760.