We’ve entered a new era where working from home is much more common than it was just a few years ago. Although there may have been a swing back towards office work in recent months, COVID really introduced the world to working from home - and it’s here to stay.
When we surveyed our members recently, we were surprised to hear almost 60% are working from home on 3 or more days per week (and a further 32% on 2 days per week!). If you’ve been working from home (without solar) you may have noticed your energy costs increasing, especially since the COVID tax benefits have been rolled back. Perhaps you’ve wondered how solar could help, or how to maximise solar when you’re working from home.
We’re here to help! Let’s get into it.
How solar can help when you work from home
First, let’s think about the devices we use when we work from home. You probably have a computer, a phone charger, lights and an internet router that needs electricity. You may also use a printer, kitchen appliances to make lunch, and perhaps a sneaky TV break? You likely also use your kettle and your dishwasher more often when you work from home.
Air conditioning alone can be a big factor in your energy costs. In fact, in office buildings, Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) accounts for almost 40% of energy consumption! Working from home often involves working at a computer, which makes you more sensitive to hot and cold because you’re sitting still. You need a comfortable workspace – sometimes it takes energy to create it.
That’s potentially quite a lot of additional electricity you’re using compared to when you’re not at home!
What if you could minimise - or even neutralise - any additional cost while using that additional energy?
That’s where solar comes in.
When your solar panels are harvesting the sun’s rays, you can often run your household at little to no cost during the day while the sun is shining. Even better, when you have a solar battery, you can use solar power even when the sun isn’t shining (such as on cloudy days, or during early mornings and at night).
Imagine using all that extra power, without the guilt or the increased costs?
That’s how solar can help.
How to maximise solar when you work from home
Getting the most from your solar when you work from home is all about efficiency and smart-energy usage. On one hand, you want to make sure everything is as efficient as possible. On the other hand, you also want to make the most of solar by using the sun’s energy (rather than buying from the grid).
Understanding how much solar energy your system generates during the day will help you use as much as possible. You want to maximise the amount of self-produced energy you use during the day, rather than exporting it back to the grid for a minimal payment, called the feed-in tariff. It’s also good to understand how much you are generating so you can be sure not to use too much! A user-friendly app like the one provided with all Plico systems helps you take control of your energy and get the most out of solar.
When the sun is shining, maximise your solar energy by charging laptops and phones, printing, and using your kitchen appliances like the kettle and dishwasher.
However, when the sun isn’t shining - such as on cloudy days or evenings during the colder months - you’ll need to be more mindful of your energy usage as solar panels alone may not be enough to cover your working-from-home energy usage, resulting in extra costs.
A solar battery can make all the difference
When the sun isn’t shining, a solar battery comes into its own. Having been charged up by your solar panels, a solar battery can power all your working-from-home activities when the clouds roll over (or at night if that’s when you do your best work!). What’s more, blackouts can really put a dampener on your productivity! If there’s an outage or a blackout, your solar + battery solution could keep you up and running when other households in your street aren’t so lucky – so long as the sun is shining, and you have enough power in your battery. Imagine keeping your modem, laptop and lights running while everyone else is ‘in the dark’.
When your home is powered by a solar + battery solution you may be able to neutralise your electricity costs by storing and using solar energy around the clock! And when you join Plico, our popular app empowers you to understand how and where in your household your solar is being used, so you can optimise even further.
In short, a solar + battery solution could eliminate additional energy costs when you work from home. It could also allow your household to stay connected if there are blackouts.
Plico’s mission is to make solar + battery solutions as affordable as possible for everyone. Our unique offering includes solar + battery, 10 years of maintenance and support, and no big upfront cost - all for just one low weekly fee. We also have solar and battery only solutions to suit any household. If you’d like to find out how much you could save, talk to one of our switched-on team by calling 1300 175 426.
