30Why, oh why, did we go into the craft brewing industry? That’s a bit melodramatic – I, for one, did it because I absolutely love making beer, and I think Jeremy feels the same. It’s just that, some days, it all seems overwhelming – days, for instance, when the energy bill rocks up. Talk about costs getting out of hand. This is just not financially sustainable.
Jeremy and I have been saying for ages that we should look into solar, but we never seem to find the time to get around to it. I mean, there’s so much research to be done on the subject. Then there’s accessing and comparing quotes from installers, plus the whole question of how to finance it, whether we’re eligible for any kind of government incentives, and how to apply for those… the list goes on.
Can anyone tell me where to start in the search for commercial solar system suppliers in Melbourne? If we’re going to go down that path (and, given this latest power bill, I think we’ll have to) we might as well choose one that also specialises in installing LED lights. Come to think of it, that’s a really important step in the whole process. LEDs can save over 80% of the power that conventional lighting uses, which means less need to rely on the grid for energy to supplement the solar system.
As an aside, I’ve noticed that, here in Melbourne, commercial LED lighting keeps upping its game over conventional lighting in terms of ambience and design. This is actually kind of important for us, because we’ve been talking about expanding the tasting room into an onsite bar and live music venue. I know this sounds a bit crazy, given what I’ve just said about being overwhelmed by bills and all the environmental upgrades we want to make.
Lighting overhaul first; research the intricacies of running a bar second. I can start dreaming about it, though. I did get into this industry because I want to share my passion for beer, after all.