SwitchedOn Australia

As we embrace the renewable energy transition there’s a growing interest in ‘community’ batteries – they’re seen as a way for local communities to share energy resources, especially with people who can’t afford their own batteries or solar. But Tristan Edis, the Director of Analysis and Advisory at the consultancy firm Green Energy Markets, says most of the medium sized batteries that have so far been installed in Australia and called ‘community’ batteries have failed to deliver value for energy consumers, or reduce energy bills. He’s crunched the numbers and found the government has been funding big monopoly power companies to install ‘community’ batteries which produce power that is substantially more expensive than what a household battery can. For more information on electrification and energy efficiency https://switchedon.reneweconomy.com.au

Amory Lovins has been writing and talking about energy policy, renewable energy, sustainability and energy efficiency for over 50 years. His views have been crucial to our understanding of energy efficiency. Lovins has advised major firms and numerous governments, authored hundreds of papers and books, and taught at several universities most recently Stanford. Time magazine named him one of the world’s most influential people. Lovins joins his colleague, Dean Walter, Principal of Strategy at RMI (the Rocky Mountain Institute), to discuss the enormous and still untapped potential of energy efficiency in the transition to a net zero future. For more information about electrification and energy efficiency https://switchedon.reneweconomy.com.au

Australians are installing an estimated 940,000 new gas appliances and 800,000 new resistive electric appliances -panel heaters, oil heaters and older style electric hot water systems - every year, which are locking in significant long-term costs for heating and cooking. The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis(IEEFA) found these inefficient appliances will force Australians to rack up $3.4billion in unnecessary energy costs because, whilst they may be cheaper to buy, they are more expensive to run. The problem is Australia has no minimum energy standards for space heaters, water heaters or cooktops which would enable consumers to make informed decisions about these important home appliances. Jay Gordon, IEEFA’s Energy Finance Analyst, says the government could fix the problem with a single intervention. For more information about electrification and energy efficiency https://switchedon.reneweconomy.com.au

A recent report from Rewiring Aotearoa has shown the rising cost of petrol and gas in New Zealand now means electric homes and EVs are more affordable than fossil fuel alternatives. Even accounting for higher upfront costs, and the interest you pay if you need to borrow to buy these appliances, the report shows a combination of EVs and electric appliances are cheaper over the lifetime of the machines. The average home that uses gas and petrol vehicles could save around NZ$1500 per year at current interest rates (around AUD$1400). Even more – NZ$4,500 - if they get a low interest loan and get their electricity from a combination of rooftop solar, a home battery, and the existing electricity grid. Mike Casey, the Chief Executive of Rewiring Aotearoa, discusses their Electric Homes report, and how he fully electrified his own cherry farm. For more information about electrification and energy efficiency https://switchedon.reneweconomy.com.au/

The federal government recognises electrification and energy efficiency can save householders money, make our houses more comfortable to live in, and reduce emissions. But some energy experts say their National Energy Performance Strategy (NEPS) lacks the details on regulatory reform, financial support, and urgency, that can make it happen. They want less planning, and more doing. Senator Jennifer McAllister, the Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy, discusses the NEPS and what the government has identified as ways to help householders and businesses overcome the hurdles of the energy transition, and current cost of living. For more information on electrification and energy efficiency https://switchedon.reneweconomy.com.au

While suspicion and resistance to big renewable developments is growing in some regional areas, local community energy projects around the country not only provide additional renewable energy to the grid, they enable communities to feel involved and directly benefit from the renewable energy transition. Whereas large scale renewable projects are invariably focused on industry needs, community projects are more likely to win hearts and minds for the energy transition because they focus on the needs of the community first and foremost and are usually run by passionate, committed volunteers with less vested interests. Dr Jarra Hicks, the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Community Power Agency, discusses the role of community energy in the energy transition, how Local Energy Hubs can help people move from being confused bystanders to active participants in, and beneficiaries of, the transition, and the barriers that currently impede the sector. For more information about electrification and energy efficiencyhttps://switchedon.reneweconomy.com.au

Australia is currently seeing a massive increase in hot water heat pump installations, largely fuelled by government incentives and rebates. But concerns are growing that Australia is at risk of being flooded by cheap, unreliable products, installed by inexperienced operators, and we could become a dumping ground for heat pumps that do little to reduce climate change, or the cost of living. That's because we don't yet have minimum energy performance standards for hot water heat pumps. Chris Taylor, the Managing Director of Reclaim Energy, estimates that 90% of the heat pumps now being sold and installed in Australia are what he calls “faux heat pumps.” For more information about electrification and energy efficiency https://switchedon.reneweconomy.com.au

Even those of us who want to electrify our homes and cars can’t always do so because of the high upfront cost of buying efficient electric machines. Rewiring Australia has come up with a plan to help every Australian household – regardless of income – fully electrify. They're recommending the Federal Government provide low-cost Government loans for all Australian residences to install solar panels, batteries, efficient electric appliances, and an EV, which could save households up to $5,000 annually on energy and petrol bills. These HECS-style loans would be paid back when a property is sold and help Australia meet our emissions targets and dramatically ease our cost of living crisis. Francis Vierboom, Market Transformation Manager at Rewiring Australia, developed the scheme. For more information about electrification and energy efficiency https://switchedon.reneweconomy.com.au

In the Northern Territory remote First Nations communities have to battle power outages, a reliance on diesel, and mandatory prepaid metres for their electricity that are regularly disconnected when residents don't have the money to top up their power cards. Without access to functional, reliable and affordable power, the basics for a healthy home and community just don't exist. Now, a small, grassroots, indigenous led community development and capacity building organisation, Original Power, is working with First Nations communities to solve long standing energy security problems by helping them move towards lower cost, clean energy. Their latest project will install the first Indigenous owned utility scale renewable energy project in Borroloola.Lauren Mellor, Chantelle Johns, and Madison Sturgess, from Original Power, spoke to the SwitchedOn podcast. For more information on electrification and energy efficiency https://switchedon.reneweconomy.com.au

Embedded networks allow for the bulk purchase of energy – electricity, gas, or water - from an energy retailer usually at a discount. The number of embedded networks are growing rapidly and being installed in apartment blocks, caravan parks, retirement villages, and also for commercial tenants in shopping centres. But Professor of Law at Macquarie University, Cathy Sherry, says many owners and tenants are getting locked into an embedded network and forced to pay well above ordinary retail rates for their power and water because of developers are making cosy deals with suppliers. For more information about electrification and energy upgrades https://switchedon.reneweconomy.com.au

Australia has around 3.7 million solar rooftop systems but only a small fraction of them, about 180,000, also have a battery. Electricity networks have been reducing the feed-in tariffs they pay solar owners in recent years and will soon start charging solar owners for feeding their excess solar into the grid during the day. But they'll pay owners to feed-in during the evening when demand for power is greater. Independent sustainable energy advisor, Norman Koslowski, from Sky High Energy Control, says the only way solar owners can deal with the changes is to buy a battery. Find more information about electrification and home energy efficiency switchedon.reneweconomy.com.au

Sarah Aubrey lived in her federation house in the inner west of Sydney for 12 years before she embarked on her electrification journey. By then she was fed up with being cold in winter and paying ever increasing energy bills. So she ditched the gas, went fully electric and efficient, and now uses a quarter of the electricity she used to. Find more information about electrification and home energy efficiency switchedon.reneweconomy.com.au

Urgent, courageous action is needed to better integrate consumer energy assets into our electricity system if we want to underpin Australia’s future economic prosperity with lower electricity and transport costs, and eliminate our dependency on gas. A new report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) has for the first time analysed the full range of benefits that flow from householders and businesses installing consumer energy resources, also called distributed energy resources (DER). Dr Gabrielle Kuiper, a specialist in distributed energy and author of the IEEFA report argues distributed energy resources must not come second in policy, planning and regulation to transmission and large-scale generation. Find more information about electrification and home energy efficiency https://switchedon.reneweconomy.com.au

Every time a sparkie walks out of a house, chances are they leave it more energy efficient than when they walked in. But Australia has a shortage of electricians. And we will need 35,000 more sparkies than the 170,000 we already have by 2030, and another 80,000 on top of that by 2050 if we are going to electrify everything. It's a scary prospect but one that Michael Wright, the National Secretary of the Electrical Trades Union is optimistic about. Find more information about electrification and home energy efficiency https://switchedon.reneweconomy.com.au

Former conservative energy minister Josh Frydenberg kyboshed Lord Howe Island’s plans to build a wind turbine which would help reduce its reliance on dirty, expensive diesel electricity generation. But the world heritage island community kept pursuing plans for renewables and now generates nearly 70% of their electricity from solar and battery storage. Stuart Watson, community solar and EV pioneer, and solar yachting sailor, sailed out to the island to check on the solar panels he’s installed on several private residences and resorts, and gives the low down on the island’s full electrification plans. Find more information about electrification and home energy efficiency https://switchedon.reneweconomy.com.au

The Climateworks Centre has modelled ways for Australia's leaky homes to become 'climate ready' using thermal upgrades and electrification, which would enable us to avoid building an oversized energy grid. Gill Armstrong, the Project Impact Manager for the Climateworks project discusses what it will take to kick-start the renovation wave. Find more information about electrification and home energy efficiency https://switchedon.reneweconomy.com.au

Lucinda Flynn is a home energy efficiency assessor working in Melbourne who has conducted hundreds of energy assessments that have saved householders thousands of dollars. She explains why your reverse cycle air conditioner feels blowy, why old homes can be easier to make energy efficient than new builds, and tips for retrofitting an energy upgrade on a budget. Find more information about electrification and home energy efficiency https://switchedon.reneweconomy.com.au

The anticipated exponential increase in battery electric vehicles and battery storage systems over the next decade means lithium-ion battery recycling will become imperative if we're to get to net zero. Gavin Collis from the CSIRO discusses the future of Australia's battery recycling industry.

Ireland is developing one of the most sophisticated residential energy efficiency ecosystems in the world, built on a foundation of serious government funding, pilot projects & trials, grants, mandatory efficiency standards, financing, and one-stop-shops. Josephine Maguire from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland discusses the program and why taking the time to learn what matters to householders is key to its success.

When Katherine McConnell started her finance company Brighte, her mission was to get more solar panels on rooftops – to make more houses sustainable - by offering zero interest loans. Brighte has since evolved and grown into a one stop shop helping to finance and install solar, batteries, heating, cooling, heat pumps, EVs, and induction cooktops.