A GREEN ELECTRICIAN
Hats off to this green electrician!
Last month Brian Sundstrom started this series on people making a contribution to the environmental sustainability of our community. This could be by innovative ways of reducing personal energy consumption, assisting others to do so, Landcare work etc. We welcome suggestions from readers, of people to feature in future issues.
Jurgen Israel, pictured below, came to Australia in 1981 from Germany. He has mostly lived and worked in this area since then, the 
last three years resident in Bangalow. He worked and studied in Brisbane in ‘urban planning and energy saving’, but returned to this area in 1998, and has since been an electrician here (Blitz Electrical, see ad p10). While he does most electrical work, his passion and business is heavily oriented to renewable energy and energy-saving systems. These takes several forms – the following may be of most interest to readers:
- Accreditation with Country Energy (CE) for work such as installing meters. This is very topical, as NSW is now paying people with home solar or wind, grid-connected generation, on gross production (previously on nett fed into the grid). However, new meters are required. CE has said it will provide the meters but owners pay for the installation by private, level 2 accredited, electricians such as Jurgen (see below). To get this accreditation, electricians do extra CE courses and must carry higher insurance. Asked how much the meter change is likely to cost. Jurgen said it will depend on meter location, but in most cases it will be under $300.
- LED lighting is becoming a significant part of Jurgen’s business. He sells and installs a large range. I saw some of these in the home he and partner Jannelle Stein have in Bangalow. Several types of nine watt LEDs replace 50 and 60 watt halogen bulbs and produce light varying from bright blue-white to softer warm-white. They can replace downlights, floodlights and garden lights. There are also some one watt mood lights and two to five watt bulbs for other uses. Fluorescent tubes can be swapped for LED tubes, with half the energy use. The range of LED options to replace bayonet fitting bulbs is unfortunately not so large, as Australia is one of the few countries with these. Jurgen admits the purchase cost of LED is higher than the other low energy CFL bulbs (Compact Fluorescent Lights – the curly ones), but says LEDs last much longer – five to 10,000 hours with a two-year guarantee. “CFL bulbs also contain mercury,” Jurgen points out. “Not everyone wants this in their homes and landfill – the new asbestos?”
- Installing new solar panels is another work area. He is currently involved with installation of some 10KW solar systems. “These are now economic with the new gross tariff and seven year price guarantee,” he points out. “Many people are looking to add to their oneKW units. I advise them to look carefully at the panel type, as they vary greatly in efficiency.”
Other work includes heat pump hot water systems, lighting in businesses and LED lighting for the new main street park refurbishments planned for Bangalow.
As outlined in last Heartbeat and in the story above, owners of small, grid-connected solar power systems will need new meters to receive the 60c/KWH gross tariff. These are to be supplied free by Country Energy, but installed by private contractors at householder expense. I checked recently with CE on the following points: n They are still expecting the meters to be available in March n CE cannot supply a list of level 2-accredited electricians. One way of finding them is the Dept. of Fair Trade website – search by post code n Payments of the gross tariff commence in July, so it is wise to book in with an electrician asap to have your meter by then. You do not have to book with CE. If you do not get a meter by July, payment will start from the date of meter installation. So you don’t miss out all together. BS
