Roll up, roll up, get your red hot solar hot water systems for $500!

Yes, here in Queensland one of the save the universe, er, planet schemes is to provide 200,000 Queensland households with affordable solar hot water. A household will only have to pay $500 - and only $100 for pensioners. Scroll down to "Affordable solar hot water systems"... and for a real laugh I'd reckon that the one titled.. ah, just about anything there!

Excellent idea. Great.

So, what type of solar hot water systems will be given away for $500/100?

Many years ago my ex and I built our home. We looked at homes with solar hot water provided in the package.

On closer investigation my husband discovered that the solar system provided was comprised of only one panel, inadquate for a family. The solar hot water system on the plan was also not rated W41 for the storms we sometimes get in the valley (the house roof has to be tied to the concrete slab by long bolts which go through the walls). Add to that the added cost of electrical boosting when the hot water runs out or the day isn't sunny enough to heat the water, and you are looking at many on-going costs that people are unaware of. Will those who take up the offer be informed of these additional ongoing costs.

But I suppose with the idiocy of CRAP and ETS, etc, it will have to be cheaper than all those tariffs and taxes.

This is my little house on my little 1.5 acres. This is a very old photo! (c 1994)