Wim De Beuckeleer and his wife both work as doctors in a hospital in Belgium. Seven years ago, they decided to install a swimming pool in their garden. “We knew that our electricity bill would rise sharply”, says Wim.
Searching for cost-effective and sustainable solutions
In order to counter a rising energy bill, Wim and his wife looked at all options. They quickly came to the conclusion that solar panels would not fit the aesthetics of their house and would not cover their high energy consumption. “It would not look good on our roof and we would not be able to camouflage them.”
Sustainability played an important role in their decision. “I try to be forward looking in my decision making. We all need to have a long-term vision”, says Wim. Apart from its energy consumption, the couple is concerned about its ecological footprint caused by eating habits and the use of plastics.
High efficiency and extra comfort
Today, the couple enjoys a high return on their energy investment. They installed two home fuel cell units from Elugie (a partner from SOLIDpower). The units run on hydrogen and produce electricity and heat. Thanks to this investment, the couple has achieved:
- 182,000 kWh of electricity generated in seven years at one third of the retail electricity price thanks to low gas prices and being shielded from price fluctuations on the electricity market.
- Their swimming pool is non-stop heated at a low price.
- All garden appliances are powered by their two home units.
Conclusion
Seven years ago, Wim and his wife discovered new ways of saving money and becoming more sustainable with new energy investments. They are planning to purchase an electric car to reduce their carbon footprint even more. Their enthusiasm has an effect on other people. The couple managed to convince three of their colleagues and friends to make the switch from being a passive consumer to an active prosumer.
