Chris and Kate – ZEN Energy Customers

ZEN Energy installed a 12.19kW ZEN Premium solar energy solution system and a 3 phase 10kWh ZEN sonnen storage system at Chris and Kate’s beautiful North Adelaide home. The solution is helping Chris and Kate slash their power bills, giving them the freedom of being largely self-sufficient in powering their heritage listed home.

Chris and Kate live in North Adelaide, South Australia. They both lead busy lives, meaning most days are spent out of the house with their energy consumption largely taking place during the evening.

After extensive renovations including the addition of a two-level extension to their home, Chris and Kate found it challenging to avoid the strong heat from the afternoon sun. Air conditioning to the upper floor is heavily relied upon during the summer months, which was leaving a significant impact on their energy bills.

Chris and Kate went on a search for the best way to reduce their energy bills without compromising their comfort or the quality of their home. As well as fitting the home with energy efficient lighting, appliances, and building materials, they also landed on the idea of installing solar and energy storage. They saw this as a great resolution, due largely to the financial benefits and the peace-of-mind it would give to running their air-conditioning without the pressure of rising electricity costs. They also both loved the idea of producing their own environmentally-clean and economic electricity direct from the sun and using it both day and night.

Chris and Kate wanted to maintain the aesthetic quality of their heritage listed home, requiring an installation that wasn’t going to clutter their roof or be too visually imposing. To meet these requirements, ZEN Energy’s expert solar design team designed a solution that would complement the home while remaining hidden from the street – meeting their energy needs and design requirements all at the same time.

Both are absolutely delighted with the result. Chris stated, “ZEN knew exactly what we wanted, it was installed quickly and we’ve had no problems since.”

“ZEN’s customer service was spot on, they were friendly, knowledgeable and executed the job perfectly. We couldn’t be happier with the result.”

The combination of a ZEN Premium solar solution and a ZEN sonnen storage solution was designed to provide peace of mind in the summer, reduce their energy bills and help them be more grid independent. Chris and Kate say the ZEN solution is not only achieving these goals but actually exceeding their expectations. Thanks to smart monitoring software, Chris and Kate could see that in just the first spring since their solution was installed, they were incredibly 94% grid independent.

Figure 1. Chris and Kates spring data showing 94.3% grid-independence.

Chris said they had considered a couple of other companies and their products, but that ZEN’s overall solution was simply “too compelling”.

He also added that ZEN’s knowledge in solar and battery was unmatched and their ability to educate and design a solution specific to their needs made them stand out above the rest.

“Since installing the system, we have peace of mind to run all appliances without worrying about the energy bill.”

Chris and Kate said they couldn’t be happier with the result, with Kate saying she had already recommended ZEN to her mother as she also looks to reduce her energy bills and become more grid independent.