Ed - Torquay, Victoria

Household

Most days in our household are a mix of Shannon and I working between home and the office, keeping our standard daily consumption relatively low. Our long-term goal has always been total household electrification and energy independence. We want to get completely off gas; we have a split system air conditioner, just added a Hot Water Heat Pump, and have an EV arriving soon with a dedicated EV Charger. Balancing cost efficiency with sustainable living made going solar an easy decision.

The Solar Journey

To match our lifestyle and future electrification roadmap, we installed a 6.6 kW Solar System, a 10 kWh Battery, and an energy-efficient Hot Water Heat Pump.

Since getting the solar installed, we are timing high-draw appliances like the dishwasher and washing machine to sync with daytime generation to squeeze every watt out of our setup. Storing excess energy in the 10 kWh battery lets us power through the evenings without leaning on the grid, driving us to roughly 95 percent grid independence. Knowing the system is modular and expandable gives us peace of mind that we can scale up battery capacity as our household energy needs grow.

Working with 1KOMMA5°

We thoroughly researched providers to ensure we were getting market-leading hardware matched with genuinely reliable support. From the initial consultation and system sizing through to installation day, 1KOMMA5° provided clear, end-to-end guidance.

We are also gearing up to switch to Heartbeat AI. Having an intelligent energy platform that tracks our home’s generation, forecasts weather patterns, and sells excess battery storage to the wholesale electricity market means we can get the lowest cost electricity, and perhaps even make money now and well into the future.

Advice for Homeowners Considering Solar

Analyse your energy profile: Understand your consumption baseline and when your household draws power so you can size the array and storage accurately. 1KOMMA5° helps with this.

Define your 'why': Be clear about what matters most—whether that’s bill reduction, blackout backup, lowering your carbon footprint, or future-proofing for a growing family or electrifying your whole home.

Invest in storage if your routine isn't static: If your household cannot shift 90 percent of its electricity consumption into the middle of the day, a battery is essential to capture that surplus energy rather than letting it go to waste.