When building a new home, it’s an ideal opportunity to design it with energy efficiency in mind and enjoy low power bills with a modern feel and look.

Queensland is facing approx. 13% increases in power prices each year with no reprieve in sight, therefore more and more people are searching for solutions. A solar power system for your new home is the answer. It is cheaper to generate one’s own electricity than buy power from the grid already without any further price increases.

Before going to contract with a builder is the time to discuss lighting options, hot water systems and pre-wiring for solar power. Most builders allow “exclusions” which generally save the home owner and offers good benefits.

Pre-wiring for solar is not expensive and makes for a very neat installation. Once the roof has been installed and before the walls are sheeted is the time Evolution Solar’s accredited electrician runs conduit and wiring. After painting is when our team return to hang the inverter, install the panels and commission the system.

Solar power is only connected to tariff 11 (normal tariff) and it is important to remember that one will always pay for power at night. As a result, it’s important to use the power generated by the solar power system during daylight hours thereby offsetting your power bill as much as possible and have energy efficient lighting and appliances that one uses at night. Washing machines, clothes dryers and so on should run during the day so as to use the solar electricity.

Hot water systems can be installed on a timer, so they run or boost during the day and use your solar electricity and not at night when it would use expensive electricity from the grid. Energy efficient swimming pool pumps should also have a time and be set to run during the day as well.

Lighting is very important! Cheap halogen lighting is costly to run – LED or energy efficient fluoro lights pay for themselves in a few years as they cost very little to run.

While it is true that a solar system with north facing solar panels generates more power, with a 3kW system and above it’s wiser to have the solar panels installed on two different facing. This means you benefit from the early morning sun (so your system is generating electricity to cater for your morning routines) as well as the afternoon sun (when air conditioning is being used and cooking is usually taking place).

With “feed in tariffs” slashed its only worth installing a system to cater for your own needs. Evolution Solar Sunshine Coast is happy to advise you what size system would best suit your needs. Choosing a good quality system is also important – Check out our tips on installing solar wisely.

Is our Prime Minister doing his best for us or is he sending us backwards? While all other countries are supporting renewables by putting key policies in place as well as funding we are doing the opposite. We are not looking to the future but repeating past mistakes.

According to analysis by Frontier Economics for the UK Government in 2013 – Australia has some of the lowest rates of support for wind power globally. While governments around the world are implementing more policies and building more renewable energy (as well as having technological breakthroughs in the renewable sector), we are removing funding and continuing to support fossil fuels.

Recently in Texas, Tony Abbott has been calling coal “nature’s gift” that will last us a few decades (obviously not thinking about future generations at all). This is our ambassador representing our nation overseas – supposedly sharing our views with the world – definitely not my views.

“For many decades at least coal will continue to fuel human progress as an affordable, dependable energy source for wealthy and developing countries alike,” said Mr Abbott.

It has also been revealed by the Sydney Morning Herald that when Environmental Minister, Greg Hunt, announced the government’s half a billion dollars worth of support for renewables in November last year – it was without the approval (or knowledge) of the Prime Minister. Mr Hunt announced the million solar roofs (from $500 million government funding), $50 million in funding for Solar Schools as well another $50 million for Solar Towns. From the $600 million promised, a measly $2.1million was included in the budget for Solar Towns. No money was allocated to solar roofs or Solar Schools.

With many of the Abbott Government’s pre-election promises already shattered, many are questioning the trust we have in our government. It is hard not to query anything that is said by anyone because not only do they not keep their word, the right hand doesn’t seem to know what the left is doing.

As yet, Mr Hunt is yet to comment.