The latest Queensland Household Energy Survey is now underway to determine how the State’s residents use their power.
Air-conditioner use, the surge in large screen televisions, solar power and the trends between home owners and renters across the state are among the issues being examined.
QLD Energy Minister Mark McArdle said the survey aimed to identify trends in household energy use patterns and energy-saving attitudes and awareness across the State.
“The results will provide an invaluable snapshot of current and future energy use and will help with electricity network planning and energy management programs,” Mr McArdle said.
The household energy survey follows similar research conducted over the past four years and will be carried out by research firm Colmar Brunton on behalf of Ergon Energy, Energex and Powerlink Queensland.
Mr McArdle said that previous surveys revealed a number of trends, including residents who wanted to reduce their overall energy use and adopt energy efficiency measures, while simultaneously showing a surge in the number of higher energy-intensive appliances.
“Earlier surveys revealed that comfort, leisure and entertainment choices were the key driving forces behind the way Queenslanders consume electricity,” he said.
“In particular the previous surveys forecast that more than one million additional air-conditioners would be installed in Queensland homes in coming years, taking the total to around 4 million by the end of 2017.”
The surveys also identified continued strong interest in domestic solar electricity and that the percentage of homes with electric storage hot water systems was continuing to fall in favour of other water heating systems such as gas and solar.
The household survey will be run online with detailed results due in May 2014.
