Earthworker Energy Manufacturing Cooperative

Signs you need to update your hot water system in 2026

Dan — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 02:18:50 +0000

It’s over 10 years old – Many systems start losing efficiency after the 10 year mark. If yours is creeping up in age, it’s likely costing you more than it should (and could fail soon).

Your power bills keep climbing – If your usage hasn’t changed but your bills have, your hot water system may be drawing extra energy to keep up. Upgrading to a heat pump or solar-coupled setup can cut running costs dramatically.

Water isn’t as hot or consistent – Fluctuating temperatures, slow heat-up times, or lukewarm showers are early signs your system is struggling.

You’ve had multiple repairs – If you’re calling a plumber more than once a year, you’re sinking money into a system that’s on its way out. A new system will save your more long-term (especially one backed with a full 15 year warranty!)

Your system is noisy or leaking – Banging, rumbling, or visible leaking are major red flags. These issues often lead to complete system failure if ignored.

You’re renovating or improving your home – If you’re already upgrading your home energy systems, adding a modern efficient hot water solution will maximise comfort and long-term savings.

You want to reduce your carbon footprint – With government rebates available and solar-ready options that can be solar connected or upgraded later, 2026 is a great time to switch to a cleaner, more affordable system.

READY TO EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONS?
Find out more about how our premium Australian-made products can help you provide reliable, affordable, energy-efficient and sustainable hot water in the long-term.
Or get in touch to request a quote.

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Electrifying hot water can take many forms

Dan — Sat, 21 Dec 2024 03:06:15 +0000

#Electrification of #HotWater has many forms!
We love our Earthworker-Reclaim heat pump packages & recommend these for the most energy-efficient option.
But here’s another option we’re currently using at our #factory in #Morwell – which is powered with a big #solar PV system (installed with assistance from Gippsland Climate Change Network & Bank Australia).

Our premium #MadeInMorwell stainless steel electric hot water units are uniquely designed with 2 layers of insulation, including an outer case made with recycled plastic – meaning they store heat extra-efficiently, AND reduce plastic waste.

We recently installed one of our 250 litre electric tanks at our factory with a simple timer – so that it runs during peak solar hours off our solar PV system.
That means carbon AND cost free hot water!!

Get in touch to find out how our locally manufactured hot water solutions can help you on your energy efficiency journey!

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A very happy customer – Sue’s Story

Dan — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 05:19:02 +0000

We love getting feedback from customers, and this story was too good not to share.

Check out this story from happy customer Sue. She reduced her electricity bill by around 75% after installing an Earthworker Energy heat pump hot water system!

Thanks for taking the time to share your story Sue (& for supporting local manufacturing while reducing your energy use)!

“Our amazing heat pump”

Last winter we got some big electricity bills and we decided it was time to do something about it. Our house is “all electric” and we were receiving monthly bills of around $150-200 despite having solar PV on the roof. As a household of 2 people, bills of that size seemed outrageous.

I called a local electrician who was happy to come to our home & have a discussion. Our initial thought was to install a battery as we know that the “return to grid” tariff from our power company is getting lower all the time, and soon we understand this rebate will reduce to nil.

The electrician looked at our last few bills and said he believed that by far our biggest power usage was our hot water system. Our current system was almost 20 years old & although it was still operating okay, it was definitely an old model.

The electrician thought the best solution was to install a heat pump for our hot water – which should see a big decrease in our power bill. He said he had one at his own home & recommended Earthworker Energy which is a local Social Enterprise, based in Morwell.

So I contacted Earthworker Energy and it wasn’t long before a representative was at our door ready to have a chat about what heat pumps do, how they work and most importantly how they could cut our power bill.

After viewing our existing hot water service, studying our recent bills and checking our solar set-up, we found information about Earthworker Energy’s “Made in Morwell” stainless steel tank and the Reclaim heat pump unit. We asked for a quote, which arrived the same day.

As this was to be a big investment we contacted another reputable company for a quote on the same system. It took four weeks for that quote to arrive & it was more expensive than the Earthworker cost.

We decided to proceed. In a short time a date was set for the installation, co-ordinating the plumber who would install the unit and tank and the electrician who would connect it all up. The boys worked for half a day and we now have our amazing heat pump installed in the back yard.

Even though these heat pumps can operate from mains electricity, we chose to have it configured in such a way that it would be powered by our solar panels. It comes on at 10am every morning and shuts off at 4pm, giving it plenty of time to heat up the water so we have hot water available all the time. The temperature of the water only loses one or two degrees overnight.

Since the installation we have had two electricity bills. The first was for $43 and the second was for $56 – a quarter of our previous bill!

We are super pleased and very thankful to Earthworker Energy for the professional way their representative educated us about the use of a heat pump and the efficient and prompt installation. Thanks guys, a real success story.”

Story from Sue, Gippsland

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What is included in our hot water systems?

Sue Stranger — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 03:43:11 +0000

An Earthworker Energy solar hot water system includes:

– Our Australian made ‘Everlast Series’ stainless steel hot water storage tank

– A solar heating component (either rooftop evacuated tube array or a heat pump)

– A 100% recycled ValveCosy to insulate the PTR Valve on your storage tank, maximising the efficiency of your system.

These systems are eligible for State and Federal Government rebates (including STCs and VEECs), reducing the price of your system!

We are very happy to assist with delivery and installation, and help you put together a full solar and solar hot water package.

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What is a solar hot water system?

Sue Stranger — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 03:38:47 +0000

A solar hot water system uses the sun to heat your hot water – reducing your energy costs and pollution. We supply 2 main types of solar hot water systems:

– Evacuated Tubes; an array of glass tubes on your roof which use sunlight to efficiently heat your hot water, with gas or electric boosting as required.

– Heat Pumps; a highly efficient electric unit, like reverse cycle airconditioner, that uses ambient solar heat in the air to heat your hot water. These can be coupled with solar PV for 100% solar powered hot water.

Both of these systems store hot water in our premium quality ‘Everlast Series’ stainless steel hot water storage tanks – ensuring your water is kept hot for when you need it.

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How are our solar tanks different from other tanks available?

Sue Stranger — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 03:34:07 +0000

Our premium Australian-made solar hot water tanks are made with 316 marine grade stainless steel. This means they are highly corrosion resistant, long lasting and don’t require a ‘sacrificial anode’ like cheaper glass lined tanks do.

Our tanks are the only tanks on the market which use a patented Australian designed polymer outer casing which is durable, sleek, rust free and makes our tanks easy to transport while providing outstanding heat retention. Our current combination of polymer outer casing and polyurethane insulation means our tanks have incredibly high heat retention performance making your solar hot water system more efficient.

With a 15 year warranty, our tanks are a top choice for those wanting a quality hot water service.

If you are considering cheaper options, make sure you check whether the tank is a stainless steel or (inferior) glass lined tank, and check what warranties are available.

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Proud sponsors of Gippsland New Energy Conference 2024 (GNEC)

Sue Stranger — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 02:46:25 +0000

Congratulations to the GNEC Team for another information packed and professionally presented conference again this year!

We are proud to sponsor and participate again in this incredible event, sharing our Cooperative role in the region’s transition journey to the new energy future.

Thank you to our amazing founder, Dan Musil for your passionate presentation on the value of Cooperatives and our mission at Earthworker Energy Manufacturing Cooperative to support our local and wider community in this just transition to new energy.

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We’re supporting Aboriginal Housing Victoria in partnership with CoPower.

Sue Stranger — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 06:30:41 +0000

We’re excited to announce that CoPower customer members have voted to allocate $10,000 from the Member’s Fund for us to supply and install a number of Earthworker-Reclaim energy efficient heat pump hot water systems for Aboriginal Housing Victoria.

This CoPower-Earthworker Energy project will subsidise the installation of locally made hot water tanks paired with Reclaim’s heat pump systems for Aboriginal Housing Victoria – an Aboriginal community organisation that serves to secure appropriate, affordable housing as a pathway to better lives and stronger communities. The project will ensure First Nations households benefit from energy efficiency upgrades, and enable Aboriginal Housing Victoria to improve and electrify social housing stock – helping to reduce power bills and pollution, while supporting local manufacturing.

Everyone deserves to benefit from renewable energy and energy efficiency, not just those who can afford the newest technology.

Earthworker Energy has had the pleasure and honour to donated and install these ultra energy efficient systems for multiple social housing organisations across Victoria in the past.

This impact campaign is supported through the 2023/ 2024 CoPower Democratic Budget to drive change in communities.

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How does an Earthworker-Reclaim CO2 heat pump hot water system work?

Sue Stranger — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 02:48:07 +0000

The Earthworker-Reclaim Energy CO2 Heat Pump hot water system operates like a refrigerator in reverse. It contains a fan that forces air through an evaporator that contains a refrigerant. The heat in the air passes through the evaporator and is absorbed by a natural refrigerant, CO2. The warm gaseous refrigerant is circulated in the system via a compressor. As it passes through the compressor, its pressure rises, as does its temperature. This hot refrigerant then passes through a heat exchanger to heat the water, which is finally pumped to the storage tank. (reference Reclaim Energy FAQs)

Call on us to help you make the transition to a cleaner, more energy efficient hot water system today!

Request a quote from our website, or specify an ‘Earthworker Tank’ from Reclaim Energy or their great network of heat pump re-sellers.

By choosing an Earthworker Energy hot water product for your home, not only can you reduce your power bills and pollution, you’ll be supporting our mission to build a just, clean energy future we all need and deserve.

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Why choose an Earthworker-Reclaim CO2 heat pump hot water system?

Sue Stranger — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 05:13:52 +0000

Energy savings with the Earthworker-Reclaim Energy CO2 Heat Pump Hot Water System

A Reclaim Energy CO2 Heat Pump uses leading technology to draw energy in from the ambient atmosphere and transfer it into heat. Ozone friendly refrigerant (CO2) absorbs the heat, which then flows into a compressor, where it’s converted into a high temperature gas. It then passes through a condenser within the water heat exchanger and the water is heated and then stored in the highly insulated Earthworker Energy hot water tank for later use. No backup booster is required. This means the Reclaim Energy CO2 Heat Pump requires much less electricity to heat water when compared to conventional hot water systems. In fact, the system will save up to 80%* of hot water energy costs, year after year.

A Reclaim Energy CO2 Heat Pump has an average COP of 5 which means that for 1 kW of electric input, it generates about 5 kW thermal output. This is about 80% less energy when compared to traditional electric element hot water systems, where 1 kW of electricity generates 1 kW of thermal output. It also comes with an impressive 8 year warranty.

Earthworker’s quality Australian ‘Made in Morwell’ stainless steel storage tanks lead the Australian market in energy efficiency and sustainability featuring;

1. Superior energy efficiency: our unique outer-casing is designed with environmental sustainability and recylability in mind. Reducing waste and improving thermal performance. Our tank cases are made locally from recycled plastic which provides extra insulation for your hot water, in conjunction with our thick internal layer of insulating material, this makes our tanks up to 80% more thermally efficient than other hot water tanks on the market. When paired with Reclaim’s CO2 Heat Pump, you will never be without hot water, no matter how cold the Australian winter is!

PLUS the insulating Valvecosy: this is installed over the valve on the tank to further improve thermal efficiency.

2. 4-5 Year return on investment and our full 15 year tank warranty.

As electricity prices continue to rise year on year, an Earthworker-Reclaim Energy CO2 Heat Pump Hot Water System becomes the best, most financially sustainable option available. Pairing these impressive advanced technologies provides customers with years of reliable hot water and energy cost savings in their pocket!

Environmentally Friendly

As an environmentally advanced paired product, the Earthworker-Reclaim Energy CO2 Heat Pump Hot Water System is an affordable system that is ranked alongside solar energy in terms of environmental friendliness. As such it is eligible for rebates and other government incentives, offering the highest level of Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs) of any hot water heat pump system. These rebates save you even more from the outset.

Easy Installation

Much the same as a conventional hot water system, the Earthworker-Reclaim CO2 Heat Pump Hot Water System is easy to install and features our sleek looking, ultra energy efficient tank with two layers of thermal insulation, keeping your water hotter for longer! This system is suitable for all Australian conditions and variations in climate. Installation requires a licenced plumber and an electrician which we can organise for you, with no refrigeration technician required.

Whisper Quiet Operation

The Reclaim Energy CO2 Heat Pump operates at a whisper quiet level – 37dB, making it the quietest hot water heat pump system on the market. Listen here.

Call on us to help you make the transition to a cleaner, more energy efficient hot water system today!

Request a quote from our website, or specify an ‘Earthworker Tank’ from Reclaim Energy or their great network of heat pump re-sellers.

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