Go gas or solar

The Advertiser: Go gas or solar, or stay cold: Rann [03jun05]:

"Mr Rann yesterday switched on 126 new solar panels on the roof of Parliament House as part of a push towards renewable energy for public buildings, joining the SA Museum, which has also fitted solar panels.

The panels have the capacity to generate 29,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a year and save 29 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions a year."

I can't believe we have put solar panels on our very own Parliament House. It is one of Adelaidels fine old buildings and is very reassuring and imposing. They have put heaps of solar panels up there on the roof and I am impressed!! Might be an old building but it sure is moving with the times. Mr. Rann has also banned electric water heaters in new houses. There is a real attempt here to encourage solar heating or to go gas to cut back on greenhouse emissions and do our bit to deal with the global warming situation. We need to get good on the advertising and sales pitches , though. Most people are on familiar ground with gas and electric water heaters. Solar heating is not common so we aren't clear about costs, efficiency, running costs, installation. That kind of stuff has to be obvious before we go out and commit ourselves if we haven't got a new house. It's not readily available information. I am pleased to see electric heaters go because they are often installed up in the attic area and have created nothing but damage when they decide to leak or malfunction. The other thing they used to do here is put the electric heater in the toilet...not a great idea if it decides to leak. What posessed builders to do that , I wonder?? In any house I have bought, the heater is automatically taken out of the ceiling or toilet and replaced with an outside gas one. Now Parliament House has solar panels, we shall have to investigate that avenue!