Latest news with #RewiringAustralia
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- Business
- The Advertiser
Renew: Switching to an all-electric home is a powerful move
We hear a lot about moving to renewable energy, installing rooftop solar or getting off gas. But saving the planet is not a priority for those of us desperate to save money on our energy bills. And yes, you can do both! Australia is a world leader in rooftop solar with more than four million installed around the country, yet only one in 40 households has installed batteries. The high upfront cost of batteries means they have been out of reach for many households and businesses. But that's all changing right now. Last week, Chris Bowen announced that 20,000 new batteries were installed in July 2025. That is three times the rate of last year, and is largely due to the Federal Government's much anticipated 30% Cheaper Home Batteries Program which kicked in on 1 July, making batteries more affordable for more households. For those of us who have solar panels, investing in a battery means our home appliances will likely be free to run. Instead of buying relatively expensive electricity from providers, we will be using our solar stored energy when we need it most, such as at dinner time or for air-con in the evenings and overnight. Renewable energy technology continues to develop, and electricity has become the cheapest way to power our homes. You'll find some of your neighbours already have all-electric homes, and quite soon, other alternatives will be too expensive or no longer available. While it can be hard to find independent advice, this is where a community network like Renew can help. We are an independent, not-for-profit organisation that does not benefit or receive commission from anyone. We have experts and resources to point you in the right direction so you don't get lost. You can find out how to add a battery to your home at A few months ago, Rewiring Australia published a report showing that Australia has reached the electrification tipping point. What this means is that when it's time for us to replace an appliance, it is now better value to buy an electric one than the fossil fuel alternative, even when you include the cost of purchase and installation. According to Rewiring Australia, the average fossil fuel home could save $4400 per year if switched to all-electric. If you are building a new house, it makes economic sense to go all-electric from the start. If you have an existing home, you can replace gas appliances one by one as needed to suit your priorities and budget. The energy savings you make by replacing one appliance can help pay for the next one. For instance, when your gas hot water goes cold, don't just replace it with the same. Times have changed since you last looked - hot water heat pumps have joined traditional solar hot water as one of the most reliable and efficient hot water systems. If your gas hob is fried, get an electric induction cooktop. It's fast and efficient, and easy to clean. In our household, we don't know how we ever managed without one - I couldn't cook before, and now I can boil an egg perfectly! Above all, keep an eye on available rebates and incentives; they change frequently, and some are for limited times only. Make changes that are beneficial to your situation, as every household has different uses and needs. If you'd like to know more about this topic, talk to your local Renew branch about your home energy needs. A great opportunity to meet us is coming up this Friday, as I am coordinating the Newcastle leg of the Faster and Fairer Tour with Dr Saul Griffith, one of Australia's leading advocates on home electrification. As chief scientist at Rewiring Australia, Dr Griffith will discuss the importance and inevitability of all-electric homes. Local members will share their home electrification journeys. Come join us for a drink from 5pm this Friday, August 15, 2025, at 'The Station' in Newcastle. Tickets $10, bookings: Ewa Meyer is the Convenor of Renew's Hunter Region Branch. hunterregion@ We hear a lot about moving to renewable energy, installing rooftop solar or getting off gas. But saving the planet is not a priority for those of us desperate to save money on our energy bills. And yes, you can do both! Australia is a world leader in rooftop solar with more than four million installed around the country, yet only one in 40 households has installed batteries. The high upfront cost of batteries means they have been out of reach for many households and businesses. But that's all changing right now. Last week, Chris Bowen announced that 20,000 new batteries were installed in July 2025. That is three times the rate of last year, and is largely due to the Federal Government's much anticipated 30% Cheaper Home Batteries Program which kicked in on 1 July, making batteries more affordable for more households. For those of us who have solar panels, investing in a battery means our home appliances will likely be free to run. Instead of buying relatively expensive electricity from providers, we will be using our solar stored energy when we need it most, such as at dinner time or for air-con in the evenings and overnight. Renewable energy technology continues to develop, and electricity has become the cheapest way to power our homes. You'll find some of your neighbours already have all-electric homes, and quite soon, other alternatives will be too expensive or no longer available. While it can be hard to find independent advice, this is where a community network like Renew can help. We are an independent, not-for-profit organisation that does not benefit or receive commission from anyone. We have experts and resources to point you in the right direction so you don't get lost. You can find out how to add a battery to your home at A few months ago, Rewiring Australia published a report showing that Australia has reached the electrification tipping point. What this means is that when it's time for us to replace an appliance, it is now better value to buy an electric one than the fossil fuel alternative, even when you include the cost of purchase and installation. According to Rewiring Australia, the average fossil fuel home could save $4400 per year if switched to all-electric. If you are building a new house, it makes economic sense to go all-electric from the start. If you have an existing home, you can replace gas appliances one by one as needed to suit your priorities and budget. The energy savings you make by replacing one appliance can help pay for the next one. For instance, when your gas hot water goes cold, don't just replace it with the same. Times have changed since you last looked - hot water heat pumps have joined traditional solar hot water as one of the most reliable and efficient hot water systems. If your gas hob is fried, get an electric induction cooktop. It's fast and efficient, and easy to clean. In our household, we don't know how we ever managed without one - I couldn't cook before, and now I can boil an egg perfectly! Above all, keep an eye on available rebates and incentives; they change frequently, and some are for limited times only. Make changes that are beneficial to your situation, as every household has different uses and needs. If you'd like to know more about this topic, talk to your local Renew branch about your home energy needs. A great opportunity to meet us is coming up this Friday, as I am coordinating the Newcastle leg of the Faster and Fairer Tour with Dr Saul Griffith, one of Australia's leading advocates on home electrification. As chief scientist at Rewiring Australia, Dr Griffith will discuss the importance and inevitability of all-electric homes. Local members will share their home electrification journeys. Come join us for a drink from 5pm this Friday, August 15, 2025, at 'The Station' in Newcastle. Tickets $10, bookings: Ewa Meyer is the Convenor of Renew's Hunter Region Branch. hunterregion@ We hear a lot about moving to renewable energy, installing rooftop solar or getting off gas. But saving the planet is not a priority for those of us desperate to save money on our energy bills. And yes, you can do both! Australia is a world leader in rooftop solar with more than four million installed around the country, yet only one in 40 households has installed batteries. The high upfront cost of batteries means they have been out of reach for many households and businesses. But that's all changing right now. Last week, Chris Bowen announced that 20,000 new batteries were installed in July 2025. That is three times the rate of last year, and is largely due to the Federal Government's much anticipated 30% Cheaper Home Batteries Program which kicked in on 1 July, making batteries more affordable for more households. For those of us who have solar panels, investing in a battery means our home appliances will likely be free to run. Instead of buying relatively expensive electricity from providers, we will be using our solar stored energy when we need it most, such as at dinner time or for air-con in the evenings and overnight. Renewable energy technology continues to develop, and electricity has become the cheapest way to power our homes. You'll find some of your neighbours already have all-electric homes, and quite soon, other alternatives will be too expensive or no longer available. While it can be hard to find independent advice, this is where a community network like Renew can help. We are an independent, not-for-profit organisation that does not benefit or receive commission from anyone. We have experts and resources to point you in the right direction so you don't get lost. You can find out how to add a battery to your home at A few months ago, Rewiring Australia published a report showing that Australia has reached the electrification tipping point. What this means is that when it's time for us to replace an appliance, it is now better value to buy an electric one than the fossil fuel alternative, even when you include the cost of purchase and installation. According to Rewiring Australia, the average fossil fuel home could save $4400 per year if switched to all-electric. If you are building a new house, it makes economic sense to go all-electric from the start. If you have an existing home, you can replace gas appliances one by one as needed to suit your priorities and budget. The energy savings you make by replacing one appliance can help pay for the next one. For instance, when your gas hot water goes cold, don't just replace it with the same. Times have changed since you last looked - hot water heat pumps have joined traditional solar hot water as one of the most reliable and efficient hot water systems. If your gas hob is fried, get an electric induction cooktop. It's fast and efficient, and easy to clean. In our household, we don't know how we ever managed without one - I couldn't cook before, and now I can boil an egg perfectly! Above all, keep an eye on available rebates and incentives; they change frequently, and some are for limited times only. Make changes that are beneficial to your situation, as every household has different uses and needs. If you'd like to know more about this topic, talk to your local Renew branch about your home energy needs. A great opportunity to meet us is coming up this Friday, as I am coordinating the Newcastle leg of the Faster and Fairer Tour with Dr Saul Griffith, one of Australia's leading advocates on home electrification. As chief scientist at Rewiring Australia, Dr Griffith will discuss the importance and inevitability of all-electric homes. Local members will share their home electrification journeys. Come join us for a drink from 5pm this Friday, August 15, 2025, at 'The Station' in Newcastle. Tickets $10, bookings: Ewa Meyer is the Convenor of Renew's Hunter Region Branch. hunterregion@ We hear a lot about moving to renewable energy, installing rooftop solar or getting off gas. But saving the planet is not a priority for those of us desperate to save money on our energy bills. And yes, you can do both! Australia is a world leader in rooftop solar with more than four million installed around the country, yet only one in 40 households has installed batteries. The high upfront cost of batteries means they have been out of reach for many households and businesses. But that's all changing right now. Last week, Chris Bowen announced that 20,000 new batteries were installed in July 2025. That is three times the rate of last year, and is largely due to the Federal Government's much anticipated 30% Cheaper Home Batteries Program which kicked in on 1 July, making batteries more affordable for more households. For those of us who have solar panels, investing in a battery means our home appliances will likely be free to run. Instead of buying relatively expensive electricity from providers, we will be using our solar stored energy when we need it most, such as at dinner time or for air-con in the evenings and overnight. Renewable energy technology continues to develop, and electricity has become the cheapest way to power our homes. You'll find some of your neighbours already have all-electric homes, and quite soon, other alternatives will be too expensive or no longer available. While it can be hard to find independent advice, this is where a community network like Renew can help. We are an independent, not-for-profit organisation that does not benefit or receive commission from anyone. We have experts and resources to point you in the right direction so you don't get lost. You can find out how to add a battery to your home at A few months ago, Rewiring Australia published a report showing that Australia has reached the electrification tipping point. What this means is that when it's time for us to replace an appliance, it is now better value to buy an electric one than the fossil fuel alternative, even when you include the cost of purchase and installation. According to Rewiring Australia, the average fossil fuel home could save $4400 per year if switched to all-electric. If you are building a new house, it makes economic sense to go all-electric from the start. If you have an existing home, you can replace gas appliances one by one as needed to suit your priorities and budget. The energy savings you make by replacing one appliance can help pay for the next one. For instance, when your gas hot water goes cold, don't just replace it with the same. Times have changed since you last looked - hot water heat pumps have joined traditional solar hot water as one of the most reliable and efficient hot water systems. If your gas hob is fried, get an electric induction cooktop. It's fast and efficient, and easy to clean. In our household, we don't know how we ever managed without one - I couldn't cook before, and now I can boil an egg perfectly! Above all, keep an eye on available rebates and incentives; they change frequently, and some are for limited times only. Make changes that are beneficial to your situation, as every household has different uses and needs. If you'd like to know more about this topic, talk to your local Renew branch about your home energy needs. A great opportunity to meet us is coming up this Friday, as I am coordinating the Newcastle leg of the Faster and Fairer Tour with Dr Saul Griffith, one of Australia's leading advocates on home electrification. As chief scientist at Rewiring Australia, Dr Griffith will discuss the importance and inevitability of all-electric homes. Local members will share their home electrification journeys. Come join us for a drink from 5pm this Friday, August 15, 2025, at 'The Station' in Newcastle. Tickets $10, bookings: Ewa Meyer is the Convenor of Renew's Hunter Region Branch. hunterregion@
ABC News
20-06-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Electrify 2515 celebrates renewable energy conversion of 60 Illawarra homes
Scores of households have been converted to run off renewable energy in a significant step towards the goal of electrifying an entire New South Wales postcode. Tosca Lloyd is one of the lucky few to benefit from the Electrify 2515 community pilot, which has so far converted 60 homes in the Illawarra postcode. She said saving money was just as important as addressing climate change. "We see switching to renewables and electrifying as one and the same as addressing the cost of living crisis and also the climate crisis," Ms Lloyd said. She was also motivated to get gas out of the house for health reasons because her young son suffers from a respiratory illness. Ms Lloyd installed a "really big" solar system, a large battery, converted to a ducted heating system and installed an electric heat pump. "All of that cost around $40,000, but we only ended up being out of pocket by around $32,000. Another 440 households have signed up for the program. Rewiring Australia founder Saul Griffith said the scheme was about starting small and then going big. "So we know that 11 million Australian households have to get to zero emissions by probably 2040," he said. "We thought we would really try to accelerate what that looks like in one community — that was the origins of 2515. "We've had a great community response … 500 homes out of 4,000. "That's about 15 per cent have signed up to participate." The scheme has built-in equity measures — the more you earn, the lower the subsidy. "A really kind of fabulous thing we found out about our community is a lot of the higher net-worth families are doing it for climate reasons," Dr Griffith said. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has funded the program to the tune of $5.4 million so far. Endeavour Energy manages the network and its future-energy strategy manager James Hazelton said he was confident the grid could handle the added load and that customers would not face higher energy costs. "But we also want to make it clear that through the journey to electrification, while customers are going to save money by having less fuel use and gas use, they are not going to face higher network charges," he said. The network operator will closely monitor the program to determine whether improvements are required for converted households. "We're using this as a case study to understand what's the right balance of visibility and network upgrades that might need to take place," Dr Hazelton said. The Illawarra region, which includes the city of Wollongong and Port Kembla has become a hub for renewable development. It remains to be seen whether a proposed offshore wind farm eventuates 20 kilometres off the coast, but in May the NSW government announced that the region had become the state's first "urban renewable energy zone". Energy Minister Penny Sharpe said that meant preparations were underway for more green manufacturing opportunities, research, renewable energy storage facilities and trial of new grid technologies to improve solar uptake. In January, federal Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen encouraged community energy projects similar to Electrify 2515 to apply for funding. ARENA has confirmed it is also funding about half of a $13.8m home electrification pilot for 500 homes in South Australia. "The primary project objective is to demonstrate the customer and sector benefits of demand flexibility and smart homes to help accelerate their deployment at scale," an ARENA spokesperson said.
