Winter is Coming!… And then Summer is coming!
Australians get their fair share of hot weather in summer and with climate change, it’s only going to get hotter and more expensive. But what can we do? Replace the old ineffective gas network for state-of-the-art solar systems of course.
Summer is thought to be more costly in regards to seasonal energy usage, with air-conditioners running all summer long, utility companies have implemented expensive network upgrades to cater peak demand on selected weeks a year.
But it’s actually winter that costs Australians more, energy wise. The heating energy demand over cooling energy is 80:1 in Victoria and 10:1 nationally.
Emissions usage needs to be reduced not only for the environment but also for the hip-pocket. Replacing the gas network is one solution and here’s why.
Let’s look at the relative efficiency of a space heating gas system vs. a split system heat pump for every 10MJ of useful heat delivered:
(Source: Zero Carbon Australia Buildings Plan, page 85)
Space Heating Gas System Split System Heat Pump
Energy Usage: 34.02MJ Electricity Usage: 12.08MJ
Energy Lost: 24.02MJ Energy Lost: 2.08MJ
OVERALL EFFICIENCY: 29.4% OVERALL EFFICIENCY: 391%
The new Zero Carbon Australia report ‘ZCA Buildings Plan’ released by Beyond Zero Emissions states other ways of becoming more effective with energy usage.
Upgrades to the building envelope with comprehensive insulation for walls and floors, draft-sealing and double-glazing is the first step. Replacing gas heaters with reverse-cycle air conditioners and replacing gas stoves with electric induction cooktops is another vital step.
To get residential houses to zero emissions means zero gas. Solar and electricity have the means to do it. We just need to act on it.
