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No two homes or households in Alice Springs are the same. For that reason, the way we use energy and the journey to become more energy efficient is different for all of us. On this page, a number of Alice Springs households will share their stories and experiences of becoming smarter about how they use energy and what being energy efficient means to them.
Want to share your story? We'd like to hear from you - contact Alice Solar City on 8950 4350 or email us at info@alicesolarcity.com.au (we provide a $100 gift voucher for every story published).
Jude Mapleson
"I hardly use my air-conditioner at all"
Jude Mapleson lives in a busy household. With many friends visiting from interstate, the number of people living at her home fluctuates throughout the year. Even when Jude is away, house minders occupy her home. At these busy times, Jude always notices an increase in her electricity bill. In addition, Jude says she spends more time in her home since retiring, spending lots of time indoors, doing arts and crafts, and lots of reading, meaning she needs her home to offer a comfortable environment.
Jude says it is great to compare her energy consumption now, to before she had her home energy survey with Alice Solar City, dropping her average energy consumption from 9.7kWh per day to 5.2kWh per day.
Download the PDF and read the case study.
Adelaide Church
“With a PV system I now take ownership of my power use”
Adelaide and her family, including two children, live in a four bedroom house with an outside studio and a pool. It is rendered brick and has high ceilings with a small roof cavity, which helps to keep the house cool. She often has guests stay in the studio in the backyard, and is often surprised to see how much the household energy use increases during this time.
Adelaide and her family have reduced their average electricity consumption from 15.3kWh to 12.5kWh per day over a period of three years.
Download the PDF and read the case study.
Ruth Primrose
"My electricity bill dropped significantly after installing solar hot water"
Ruth has lived in Alice Springs for five years. She bought her 2 bedroom unit in 2007 and with friends coming and going, it is a busy household with up to five people staying. The unit is within a complex of 50 other units.
Ruth has always strived to live more sustainably and undertakes activities such as recycling paper, glass and cans. She uses a composting system and tries to save water and electricity wherever possible.
Ruth has reduced her energy consumption from 13.6kWh per day to an average of 9.9kWh, and even dropped to 6.1kWh in the second 12 month period after having her Alice Solar City home energy survey.
Download the PDF and read the case study.
Roland and Marian Maddocks
“With so many Government rebates available there is really no reason to not get involved and reduce energy, even for the smallest of things. Solar hot water and painting the roof white make so much s
Roland and Marian have lived in their current house for 21 years, with four adult children gradually moving out in recent years. Their home is set on a hill exposed to the elements and recently removed trees mean that the house gets a lot of afternoon sun through the west facing walls and windows. There are four split levels in the house and a separate self-contained unit with a boarder. Their energy use has dropped dramatically in the three years since joining Alice Solar City, from 43.3kWh per day in 2008 to just 18.3kWh per day by mid 2011.
The Maddocks participated in the Alice Solar City 10:10/20:20 incentive, meaning if they dropped their energy
use by 10% to 20% compared to the same period the previous year, they would receive a 10-20% credit on their
power bill. To date they have received ten credits totaling an amazing $941.
If the Maddocks’ consumption had stayed the same, at current tariffs, their electricity would be costing
$8.33 per day ($760 per quarter), but is now $3.63 per day ($330 per quarter), a saving of $1,715 per year.
Download the PDF and read the case study.
