Water heating is the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions from the average home (excluding the family car).It’s also power hungry, using up to 35% of a home’s energy.

What most people don’t realise is how inexpensive a solar hot water system is to install and to run.  The fact is, solar hot water systems generally pay for themselves within two years from installation and then the real savings start adding up.

A solar hot water system can save up to 90% of an average household’s hot water energy requirements.It can also save up to 3.4 tonnes of CO2 emissions from an average household each year.There are considerations such as location, direction of the roof and the actual system quality which will all affect the performance and efficiency, but the truth is that the sun can provide most of the energy requirements for a household’s hot water.Conventional gas or electricity sources can make up any shortfall.

The cost of electricity is growing and there is greater emphasis on finding renewable energy sources.If we consider the impact that electricity generation is having on the environment, then the case for solar power is all the more compelling.

In recent times, there have been major developments in technology for solar hot water.  Consumers now have a choice between roof or ground-mounted systems, which are suitable for any weather conditions from below freezing to the harshest desert heat.

Solar hot water can be installed anywhere, new buildings and old.  Replacing an electricity-driven hot water system is a simple process and one which is encouraged by many governments around the world.

For example, eligible property owners, landlords and tenants in Australia qualify for generous rebates from Governmenet when they replace electric hot water systems with solar ones.The Australian Government is currently offering a 600 rebate per eligible installation of solar hot water to help people reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It is currently estimated that the average family can slash up to 0 off their annual energy bill by switching to solar hot water.

Since the introduction of the Government rebates, Perth solar hot water specialists, Solar MyWorld have seen a massive increase in demand.The company says people are making lifestyle adjustments to meet growing pressure to reduce their carbon footprint, and they have seen a consequent increase in demand.

The Australian Government study ‘Energy Use in the Australian Residential Sector 1986-2020′, put the projected increase in residential sector energy consumption at 56% from 1990 – 2020.  However, water heating was the only major energy use predicted to decline over the study period, mainly as a result of Government and State energy programmes.in 2002, water heating energy use reached a peak at 92.4 petajoules (PJ) and is anticipated to decline slowly to 8.5PJ by 2020.

Solar hot water is one of the most simple, yet most rewarding, lifestyle changes we can make. There are no downsides.  It is cost-effective, low-maintenance and environmentally friendly.A good quality solar energy system that has been installed by properly qualified installers should last up to 25 years.That’s a hot option!