The Solar Report
The Solar Report shows the percentage which a household would save off their hot water bill if they had a solar water heater. It's also the amount of greenhouse gases abated (i.e. not created) by heating water.*
Report for week 13 November to 19 November 2009
| Region | Emissions/cost saving this week |
|---|---|
| Ballarat | 100% |
| East Gippsland | 100% |
| Glenelg | 100% |
| Greater Bendigo | 100% |
| Greater Shepparton | 100% |
| Latrobe | 100% |
| Melbourne | 100% |
| Mildura | 100% |
| South Gippsland | 100% |
According to Sustainability Victoria, if all Victorian homes had a solar water heater, this week Victoria would have cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 33,410 tonnes.
That's the equivalent of:
- taking 400,000 cars off the road this week
- 650 million black balloons
- 4.3% of Victoria's greenhouse gases from energy.
Report for the year to 19 November 2009
| Region | Emissions/cost saving this year |
|---|---|
| Ballarat | 74% |
| East Gippsland | 78% |
| Glenelg | 74% |
| Greater Bendigo | 78% |
| Greater Shepparton | 79% |
| Latrobe | 72% |
| Melbourne | 74% |
| Mildura | 83% |
| South Gippsland | 73% |
According to Sustainability Victoria, if all Victorian homes had a solar water heater, so far this year Victoria would have cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 2,756,280 tonnes. That's the equivalent of:
- taking 720,000 cars off the road for the period since January 1
- 55.15 billion black balloons
- 3.1% of Victoria's greenhouse gases from energy.
More information
For more information on the solar report and how it works, see the FAQs (link at bottom of page).
* The solar savings percentage is based on computer simulations of the difference between the amount of energy used by a solar water heater compared to a conventional water heater for the same load used by an average water heater for an average family in Melbourne. The figures are then averaged for the week or month.
The potential savings of greenhouse gases if all Victorians used solar is calculated by taking the number of gas and electric water heaters in Victorian dwellings (from ABS 4602 2005) and multiplying it by the amount of greenhouse gases produced by a conventional water heater for Victoria. This gives the amount of greenhouse gases produced in an average week or month.
A seasonal factor is applied to account for differences in cold water temperature and amount of water used to give the total greenhouse gases. The amount of potential Greenhouse savings is calculated by multiplying this total greenhouse figure by the savings percentage for the week. Thus indicating the benefit if all gas water heaters were replaced with gas boosted solar water heaters and all electric water heaters replaced with electric boosted solar water heaters.
