Following the release of a report outlining a plan for energy autonomy in Forrest,
Wye River, Skenes Creek, Apollo Bay and Marengo, we have been talking about
ways to reduce our energy use.
The report by energy consultant, Enhar, says we can achieve 20% of our
community’s renewable energy target if we become more energy efficient.
The cost of heating and cooling your home or business can be a significant part of
your energy bills. On average, we spend a third of our energy bill on heating.
By replacing old heating and cooling systems with more energy-efficient ones, you
can significantly reduce your costs and energy use. So jump on Energy Victoria's website and check out the discounts and rebates available.
Insulation is the most cost-effective way to improve the energy efficiency and comfort of your home. It can help you spend less on heating in winter and less on cooling in summer. By insulating your home, it is estimated you could save up to 45% on your energy bills.
Want to save up to 80% on your lighting costs? Install energy-saving lighting
technology such as LEDs.
You will also want to check the seals around your windows, doors and vents - most
don’t seal tightly, allowing hot or cool air to escape. By installing weather sealing
products you make the temperature of your home easier to control and use less
energy.
Similarly you might want to look at what window coverings you have. Pelmets can actually make a difference in the amount of heat lost through your windows. Double-glazed windows are also very energy efficient and help reduce heat loss or
heat gain by almost 30% compared to single-glazed windows.
For all of the incentives currently on offer visit www.energy.vic.gov.au
And if you want personalised advice, consider having a professional home energy
audit. Check out these local case studies and our Home Energy Efficiency Project page to see what others in our region have done or do it yourself by asking at the Apollo Bay Library for the DIY Home Energy Efficiency Audit Kit.
With 40% of our region’s renewable energy target being met by rooftop solar PV (if
enough people come onboard), and another 20-40% possible through energy
efficiency, we have the ability to nail 60-80% of our renewable energy target.
In the next article we look at how a ‘home-grown’ solution helps us secure the final
20-40% we need to be powered by 100% renewable energy.
