{"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_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"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, 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They were real customers using retailer Energy Locals and the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Energy Efficiency"","block_context":{"text":"Energy Efficiency","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/energy-efficiency\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Virtual energy network study","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/virtual-energy-network-study.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/virtual-energy-network-study.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/virtual-energy-network-study.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/virtual-energy-network-study.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/virtual-energy-network-study.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":100850,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/20000-homes-home-batteries\/","url_meta":{"origin":80963,"position":2},"title":"What 20,000 Homes Reveal About Solar Batteries","author":"Kim Wainwright","date":"July 30, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"If you've ever wondered what difference a home battery actually makes to the way your home interacts with the grid, the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has some new real-world data. Buried in the latest Quarterly Energy Dynamics report is a comparison of 20,000 Australian homes that examines how households\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Battery Storage"","block_context":{"text":"Battery Storage","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/battery-storage\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"AEMO imports exports report 2026","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/aemo-imports-exports-2026-report.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/aemo-imports-exports-2026-report.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/aemo-imports-exports-2026-report.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/aemo-imports-exports-2026-report.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/aemo-imports-exports-2026-report.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":100811,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/solar-sharer-offer-shifting-appliances\/","url_meta":{"origin":80963,"position":3},"title":"Solar Sharer: How To Shift Appliances To Free Daytime Power","author":"Jacob Boyd","date":"August 7, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"EV charging, heating, and cooling are usually the biggest electrical loads you can shift. We've already talked about heating and cooling in another part of this series, and we've also covered EVs. After those, hot water and the pool pump are usually next. But not all appliances can be shifted.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Energy Efficiency"","block_context":{"text":"Energy Efficiency","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/energy-efficiency\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Cartoon image of a washing machine on a timer.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/controlled-load-header.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/controlled-load-header.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/controlled-load-header.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/controlled-load-header.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/controlled-load-header.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":100988,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/government-expands-solar-rebates-for-commercial-rooftops\/","url_meta":{"origin":80963,"position":4},"title":"Government Expands Solar Rebates For Commercial Rooftops","author":"Kim Wainwright","date":"August 6, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The federal government has announced a major expansion of Australia's Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES), opening the door for much larger commercial rooftop solar systems to receive the same type of upfront incentive that helped drive Australia's household solar boom. Under the proposal, the SRES threshold would increase tenfold from\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Commercial Solar"","block_context":{"text":"Commercial Solar","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/commercial-solar\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Commercial solar panels","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/commercial-solar-sres-expansion.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/commercial-solar-sres-expansion.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/commercial-solar-sres-expansion.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/commercial-solar-sres-expansion.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/commercial-solar-sres-expansion.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":100194,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/retailers-unleash-free-daytime-energy-plans\/","url_meta":{"origin":80963,"position":5},"title":"Retailers Unleash Free Daytime Energy Plans (And Higher Supply Charges)","author":"Max Opray","date":"July 3, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Most energy retailers have released their mandatory \"Solar Sharer\" free daytime electricity plans to market, but those who failed to meet the July 1 deadline or hiked daily supply charges could face the wrath of regulators. How Does Solar Sharer Work? 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