Skyrocketing energy bills have pushed two in three Aussie households to consider switching to solar, a recently released survey has revealed.
Aussies now see investing in solar power and battery storage as a self-made solution to rising energy costs, which have shown little sign of abating as the nation continues to battle a cost-of-living crisis.
The survey, commissioned by renewable energy provider Green, showed that 68 per cent of households would spend up to $10,000 on solar and battery installations if it led to saving up to $2,000 on energy bills per year.
Meanwhile, those states hit hardest by rising energy costs are most open to the switch, with three-quarters of South Australian and ACT homeowners in support.
Seventy per cent of Queenslanders also said they’d consider the change, while just over two-thirds of NSW and Western Australia residents would make the switch.
The changing attitudes towards solar follow years of rising energy costs, with one in four households now paying over $300 more per month on energy compared to last year.
This uptick has seen energy bills become one of a household’s highest expenses, with more than 50 per cent of homeowners expecting a rise on their next power bill.
Green CEO David Green says Aussies simply can’t keep up with the rising cost of living and see solar as a way to reduce bills in the long term.
“It’s clear that the energy cost is impacting people and their household budgets. Solar and solar batteries are and always will be the best way to take control and have a positive impact on power usage and bills,” he told Build-it.
“The increasing costs of power and decreasing payback periods coupled with a dynamic and evolving energy market is giving solar with batteries even more power into energy consumers’ hands.”
“Consumers need and deserve the ability to control their energy usage and consumption, and solar and a battery give you exactly that.”
But energy bills aren’t the only reason some homeowners are choosing to install solar. Numerous landlords are upgrading their rental properties to solar to boost their rentability and return.
Energy-efficient homes are now in high demand among renters, with many hoping a solar home will reduce their energy costs. Landlords can then tap into some of the savings their tenants make by charging more in rent.
“There are numerous reasons landlords should invest in solar, solar batteries and general energy efficiency,” David told Build-it.
“Solar and solar batteries significantly decrease a tenant’s outgoings, thus significantly increasing a property’s appeal, meaning more rental returns and less tenancy downtime.”
“Solar and solar batteries materially impact the valuation of a property. If a landlord is considering selling the property or requiring a higher valuation, solar can help you achieve the most value out of your asset with low capital expenses.”
