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Community bulk buy of solar panels

Article written by University of Tasmania student Stephanie Pfennigwerth.

South Hobart residents are set to go solar, thanks to a bulk South Hobart couple with solar panels on their roof.discount photovoltaic panel purchase organised by the South Hobart Sustainable Community (SHSC) and Sustainable Living Tasmania.

“We had the intent that if we had 25 houses sign up we would have done an amazing job,” says SHSC co-convenor Ben Clark. Instead, more than 270 households registered for the initiative!

The 1kW systems are connected to the grid and comprise of six panels, an inverter, a mounting frame and cabling. Aurora provides the bidirectional meter free of charge. Unused power is exported to the grid and credited against the householder’s electricity bill.

Ben’s own panels generate an average of 3.5 kWh per day, cutting his bill by $260 a year. As well as the obvious advantages, solar electricity generation has wider benefits. Ben says it makes householders “acutely conscious” of their energy consumption, with many changing to more efficient appliances and switching off those on standby, further reducing their greenhouse gas emissions.

Ben believes the SHSC project has “demystified” sustainable energy. “A lot of people want to know what they can do to be part of the solution,” he says, but the researchFamily in front of house with solar panels on roof and cost involved can seem overwhelming. The bulk purchase has “removed a lot of barriers” and the group is now planning similar initiatives for solar and heat pump hot water systems.

“We shouldn’t be trailing the likes of Germany, which has less available sunlight than Tasmania,” says Ben. “There’s no reason why Tasmania can’t be a leader in terms of solar and wind power.”

The first systems are due to be installed in October.

For more information visit the South Hobart Sustainable Community website

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