92% of Aussies happy with energy savings thanks to solar power

Increasingly Aussie households are playing a role in reducing our nation’s carbon footprint and the numbers support this.

According to Origin Energy 44% of Aussies made the switch over to solar power to reduce their own greenhouse gas emissions, while 65% said their motivation was to reduce their reliance on buying electricity from the grid. 

And the good news is, installing solar panels has many other benefits besides supporting a cleaner future.

The retailer found that reducing a household’s energy bill was the biggest motivation (90%) for installing solar panels, with a whopping 92% of Aussies feeling extremely or very satisfied with the energy bill savings their panels have produced. 

Half of Aussies who had solar panels installed also feel less guilty about running their heating and cooling appliances.

Aussies will fork out big bucks for cleaner energy

Origin Energy found that depending on the system’s size, brand and type of inverter chosen, average costs for installation can range between $4,000 and $8,000. 

But contrary to the popular belief that solar power is too expensive to consider, the survey found that 43% of Aussies would be willing to pay up to $5,000 for solar panels and 20% would be comfortable paying $20,000 or more. 

“These figures show how on board Aussies are to make the transition from standard to renewable electricity, which is good news for the nation’s carbon footprint,” said Mozo Director, Kirsty Lamont.

South Australians most satisfied with their solar decision

While the survey found that 60% of Aussies were satisfied with the performance of their solar panels, it was South Australians who were most impressed by their system at 75%. This was followed by Queensland (68%), New South Wales (56%), Victoria (54%) and Western Australia (50%). 

“It’s great news to see Aussies enjoying their solar investment, as research shows that it takes a while for the benefits to outweigh the upfront costs,” said Lamont. 

According to Origin Energy, Aussies who choose to pay for their solar panels upfront, it typically takes around five years to break-even on the investment. 

So if you’d like to see what the big fuss around solar power is, check out our handy renewable energy guide! 

Or if you’d like to check out the solar-friendly energy retailers available in your area, head on over to our energy comparison tool.