{"id":80963,"date":"2024-01-11T10:06:07","date_gmt":"2024-01-11T00:36:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/?p=80963"},"modified":"2025-12-19T13:54:09","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T04:24:09","slug":"energy-hungry-solar-homes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/energy-hungry-solar-homes\/","title":{"rendered":"Recent Study: Are Solar Homes Truly Green Or Just Energy Hungry?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"2<\/p>\n

Happy New Year from my straw-bale home in Adelaide. Now, don’t let the eco-friendly construction fool you \u2013 my place is an energy-hungry beast, and I’m the guy feeding it! With thermal mass and careful orientation, the house is a champion of efficiency, but my family’s lifestyle… well, that’s another story.<\/p>\n

For starters, I’ve got a Finnish sauna (a nod to my heritage) that pulls a whopping 7kW on our evening relaxations. Then there’s the 57,000-litre pool, kept toasty with a heat pump<\/a>, fed from our generous solar supply. Of course, we can’t forget the air conditioning<\/a>, my son’s high-power gaming PC that’s practically part of the family, and the pi\u00e8ces de r\u00e9sistance, our two electric cars. They’re our eco-friendly chariots, never tasting a drop of petrol, charged mostly on excess solar or super off-peak grid power.<\/p>\n

I encourage solar + batteries, but my 20kW of solar panels<\/a> and 13.5kWh of solar batteries<\/a>\u00a0only just keep up with my energy-hungry family.<\/p>\n

Oh, and let’s not forget the three teenagers, champions of 30-minute showers. Ironically, they have the most to lose from climate change yet are the hardest to wrangle into energy-consciousness. Although on the optimistic side, my P-Plater eldest, a pure EV driver, would probably look at a petrol pump like it’s an alien artefact.<\/p>\n

So, as I sit here, part eco-warrior, part energy glutton, I can’t help but wonder: Do our solar panels give us a ‘free pass’ to indulge? Are we solar panel owners unknowingly slipping into energy excess, comforted by our green investments?<\/p>\n

Well, there’s a new Australian study<\/a> that looks into just that.<\/p>\n

Overview of the Study<\/h2>\n

The study ‘Moral licensing and habits: Do solar households make negligent choices?’ surveyed 257 households, all proud owners of solar panels. These folks were asked a series of questions to understand their energy habits, their thoughts on energy saving, and how they perceived their role in the grand scheme of energy efficiency.<\/p>\n

Now, the crux of this study revolves around a fancy term called ‘moral licensing’. In plain English, it’s the idea that doing something good (like installing solar panels) might subconsciously give us the green light to slack off in other areas. Think of it as patting yourself on the back for eating a salad for lunch, then smashing a Maccas for dinner.<\/p>\n

So, 257 households, one big question, and a whole lot of data to sift through. Let’s see what they found out.<\/p>\n

Findings<\/h2>\n

The study’s findings are a bit of a wake-up call for us solar panel enthusiasts. Turns out this moral licensing thing is real. The study showed that some of us with solar panels might actually feel so chuffed about our eco-friendly choice that we let our guard down in other areas of energy use. It’s like giving ourselves a pat on the back for going solar, then cranking up the air con a little more than necessary, or only washing a half load of dishes.<\/p>\n

The study indicates that solar panel owners often use more energy after installation. To be honest – I could have told the authors that in a text message. But here’s my take: it’s not inherently a problem. Our energy grid fluctuates between ‘feast’ and ‘famine’ periods in terms of renewable energy availability. Using more energy during ‘feast’ times is beneficial while cutting back during ‘famine’ periods is crucial.<\/p>\n

A Market-Driven Solution<\/h2>\n

Here’s where market dynamics can play a vital role. Exposure to the wholesale electricity price, as offered by services like Amber Electric<\/a>, is a powerful signal for when to use energy. This approach encourages us to use energy when it’s abundant and cheap and conserve when it’s scarce and costly.<\/p>\n

Practical Steps for Solar Homeowners<\/h2>\n

For solar homeowners, this means thinking about energy timing. Amber-style or time-of-use tariffs, smart EV chargers<\/a>, Catch Solar Relays<\/a> (or similar), and as much automation as possible can help us align our energy use with the grid’s needs. It’s about enjoying modern luxuries responsibly, with a mindful eye on the clock.<\/p>\n

WDYT?<\/h2>\n

So, what’s your approach to energy use with your solar panels? Are you voluntarily on a time-variable tariff or using any smart technology to optimise your consumption? Share your strategies in the comments for making the most of our solar investments while supporting the grid.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Happy New Year from my straw-bale home in Adelaide. Now, don’t let the eco-friendly construction fool you \u2013 my place is an energy-hungry beast, and I’m the guy feeding it! With thermal mass and careful orientation, the house is a champion of efficiency, but my family’s lifestyle… well, that’s another story.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":80969,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[507],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-80963","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-solar-and-the-environment","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nRecent Study: Are Solar Homes Truly Green or Just Energy Hungry?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A fascinating Australian study has shed light on how we, the solar panel owners, might 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One of the proposed enterprises is the Sahara\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Solar & Storage News"","block_context":{"text":"General Solar & Storage News","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-battery-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Producing food from the desert with solar energy","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/desert-forest-project-karratha.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/desert-forest-project-karratha.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/desert-forest-project-karratha.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/desert-forest-project-karratha.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":38648,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/barwon-water-eco-estate-mb1470\/","url_meta":{"origin":80963,"position":1},"title":"Barwon Water Becomes Sustainable Housing Estate Developer","author":"Michael Bloch","date":"April 2, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Victoria's Barwon Water is turning surplus land previously forming part of the Highton Basin landholding into a sustainable housing estate, with all homes to have solar power systems. 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The site will feature 30 fully serviced vacant lots available in land\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Solar & Storage News"","block_context":{"text":"General Solar & Storage News","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-battery-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Highton Eco Estate","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/highton-eco-estate.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/highton-eco-estate.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/highton-eco-estate.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/highton-eco-estate.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/highton-eco-estate.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":86266,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/ev-not-charging-from-excess-solar\/","url_meta":{"origin":80963,"position":2},"title":"How To Prevent Your EV From Falling Asleep When Solar Charging","author":"Neerav Bhatt","date":"September 17, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Have you ever tried charging your EV using only excess solar power, only to find it falls asleep while waiting for the sun to cooperate? For some electric vehicles, like the BYD Dolphin, it's more than just a minor inconvenience\u2014it's a frustrating glitch that interrupts charging altogether. Imagine plugging in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "EV Chargers"","block_context":{"text":"EV Chargers","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/ev-chargers\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"sleeping EV","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/sleeping-ev.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/sleeping-ev.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/sleeping-ev.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/sleeping-ev.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/sleeping-ev.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":56938,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/more-australian-solar-manufacturing-mb2270\/","url_meta":{"origin":80963,"position":3},"title":"Another Australian Solar Panel Manufacturer Soon?","author":"Michael Bloch","date":"December 13, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"A company intending to produce solar panels is among the latest to have signed on to establish activities at Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct near Toowoomba. Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct is described by Townsville City Council as Northern Australia\u2019s first environmentally sustainable advanced manufacturing, technology and processing hub. Occupying 2200 hectares of land\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Solar & Storage News"","block_context":{"text":"General Solar & Storage News","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-battery-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Australian-made solar panels","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/australian-made-panels.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/australian-made-panels.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/australian-made-panels.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/australian-made-panels.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/australian-made-panels.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":60809,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/lady-elliot-solar-mb2428\/","url_meta":{"origin":80963,"position":4},"title":"Solar Powered Resort A Sustainability Winner","author":"Michael Bloch","date":"April 11, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Queensland's Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort won the Sustainable Tourism category in this year's Banksia National Sustainability Awards for its shift to 100% renewables. Lady Elliot Island is the Great Barrier Reef's southernmost coral cay. Approximately 80 kilometres north-east of Bundaberg, the 45-hectare island lies within a Marine National Park\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Solar & Storage News"","block_context":{"text":"General Solar & Storage News","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-battery-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort - solar power","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/lady-elliot-solar.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/lady-elliot-solar.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/lady-elliot-solar.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/lady-elliot-solar.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/lady-elliot-solar.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13666,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/solar-sails-freighters-mb0146\/","url_meta":{"origin":80963,"position":5},"title":"Sustainable Shipping Sea Trials On The Horizon","author":"Michael Bloch","date":"August 1, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Japan's Eco Marine Power is preparing for sea trials next year of a rigid sail and solar power system designed for use on bulk carriers. Shipping goods and materials between ports is fuel-thirsty and emissions intensive work. According to the European Commission, maritime transport is responsible for a billion tonnes\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Solar & Storage News"","block_context":{"text":"General Solar & Storage News","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-battery-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Aquarius MRE - Eco Marine Power","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/solar-powered-shipping.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/solar-powered-shipping.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/solar-powered-shipping.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/solar-powered-shipping.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80963","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=80963"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80963\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":96768,"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80963\/revisions\/96768"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/80969"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=80963"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=80963"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=80963"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}