Couples easy switch to no energy and fuel costs

This Aussie couple found a smart way to reduce their household costs – and it’s something other families can do without an upfront investment.

A savvy Aussie couple have revealed the clever way they’re saving hundreds of dollars a month on their household costs – and there’s a way other Aussies can do it without needing to make a costly investment upfront.

Sydney local Paul Brooks and his wife decided to install solar panels and a battery, hoping to reduce the price of their costly energy bills.

“I’m so glad I got solar because I haven’t paid a power bill for about a year now, I’m saving a lot of money and putting that towards other bills,” Mr Brooks said.

“I’ve also bought an EV so I also haven’t paid for petrol in about a year either. That’s a huge saving,” he said.

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Paul Brooke and his wife have installed solar and not paid an energy bill in over a year.

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He said before going electric, they were paying approximately $5000 a year on fuel and servicing, and that cost was now only around $500 a year.

On top of that they were spending $4000 per year on electricity. That was seven years ago, and prices have skyrocketed since then. Now they’re $200 in credit.

However, it cost Mr Brooks around $23,000 upfront to get solar panels and a battery installed.

“(It was) a huge upfront cost. I can see that would be a big deterrent to some homeowners and many wouldn’t be able to afford it.”

According to a survey by smart metre company Intellihub, the biggest barrier for Aussies electrifying their home is the large upfront payments.

“I think anything that makes it easier for people to electrify their home is a great idea. It’s definitely worth those savings in the long run,” Mr Brooks added.

Australian leasing provider Smart have partnered with Intellihub to make it possible for Aussie families to electrify their homes without the hefty initial costs.

The couple also purchased an EV and don’t pay for fuel, saving them thousands of dollars.

Solar panels, batteries and EV leasing is now accessible through their affordable subscription to make the electrification journey easier for households.

Smart group executive Sid Jha said this tackles the affordability and complexity barrier often associated with renewable energy and EV adoption.

“This offering means there are no huge cost barriers to entry for either the home electrification or the electric vehicle, and experts provide the installation,” Mr Jha said.

Additionally, customers can monitor, control and optimise their home energy usage all in an app on their smart phone or tablet.

Many houses who have adopted solar onto their houses don’t pay anything for electricity anymore.

The app will integrate with other home energy devices, enabling customers to reduce energy consumption, lower energy bills, and decrease reliance on grid electricity, he added.

Australians are reported to have installed more than 3.15GW of solar and purchased more than 70,000 EVs over the past year, a number that is expected to grow in years to come.

By 2030, Australia is projected to have 22.6GW of solar panel capacity and 1.5 million EVs on the roads.

“This is the future of home energy, a microgrid where the homeowner is powering their house, appliances and vehicle – and selling the excess back to the grid,” Mr Jha said.

Originally published as Couples easy switch to no energy and fuel costs