Solar?????? What happened in WA?

Over thirty years ago I arrived in this beautiful part of the world with my small family. One of things that impressed us, besides the magnificent coast line and relaxed feel of the place was a new invention we had never seen before.

It was a solar hot water heater. Wow, what an invention, free hot water from the sun. It was unbelievable and whilst expensive, it was advertised as being able to pay for itself .... eventually.

A few years after our arrival we were in a position to build a new house and our thoughts turned to the new fan-dangled water heater. Fortunately, or perhaps more truthfully, unfortunately there was a new player on the block.....it was natural gas. Piped many thousands of kilometres down from the north of WA, it was inexplicably much cheaper than the no cosy, well low cost, solar heater. With little foresight and like most new home builders money tight and we went for the cheaper option.

It was not just the initial price, there were other factors, such as the relatively short life of the solar system's water storage tank and the fact that water from such a system was scalding during the day, but cool in the mornings and at night when most people wanted showers etc. These factors and the cost of running boosters for winter heating of the water caused many people to turn away from what was and still is the most sensible form of water heating in a State absolutely drenched in sunlight both during the summer and winter.

It seems ironic that Germany, a country in northern Europe with possibly 50% less sunshine hours than WA went on and developed the use of solar energy and now has at least 50% more solar hot water systems in use on its house roofs. Yes WA, or more acurately Australia, has been left far behind when it comes to the development of one of its most notable free resources. And why....because it is cheaper to use our non renewable resources until we have none left than it is to think of future generations and develop systems which are not only healthier for this planet but will also be there for our grand-children's, great grandchildren.