Rewiring Australia supports NSW Treasurer Matt Kean‘s announcement of $8 million to support world-first community electrification pilot projects.
Rewiring Australia’s Dr Saul Griffith’s original research revealed that electrification using commercially available technologies is the quickest and cheapest option to combat inflation and decarbonise the economy. Dr Griffith’s Rewiring America fought to make electrification the centrepiece of US President Joe Biden’s US 369 billion Inflation Reduction Act, passed last year.
According to Rewiring Australia, pilots in the suburbs or towns are proof of concept for this new climate approach. Pilots would collaborate with local communities to assist households in upgrading to zero-emission electric appliances and automobiles. Community solar, batteries, and local EV charging infrastructure would be included, with possible co-funding from the private sector and the Federal Government and its energy innovation agencies.
Rewiring Australia said when homeowners add solar and a battery, then replace gas-fired heating, hot water, cooktops, and gasoline/diesel vehicles with modern electrified alternatives, they permanently save thousands of dollars on their annual energy expenses.
Towards the middle of the decade, Rewiring Australia stated that it would be cost-effective for households to replace conventional appliances with EVs, solar, and energy-efficient consumer products. With low government co-funding, the organisation said a community might fully implement these emission-reduction technologies over the next three years. A pilot would assist Australian industry in understanding the global technological transition and prepare the electricity network for future needs. The energy savings produced by the technologies would be used to fund the majority of their capital cost.
Dr Griffith stated that the announcement marked a significant step forward.
“Electrification of our homes, cars and workplaces is the fastest, most effective path to stop the planet heating. The world already has the technology to remove fossil fuels from households. Funding support such as the one Matt Kean has made today makes me optimistic about the future,” Dr Griffith said.
Dr Griffith added that Australia has the highest rate of rooftop solar adoption in the world, and its citizens are aware that with just a little encouragement from the government, they can go even further and install the batteries, electric cooktops, heaters, and water systems they need to be free of the costs and emissions associated with fossil fuels.
“Committing to this trial allows governments to foster the technology breakthroughs we know the world will need to dramatically reduce emissions by 2030,” Dr Griffith stated.
Dan Cass, executive director and co-founder of Rewiring Australia said, “Federal Labor energy minister Chris Bowen has promised ‘meaningful and substantial’ electrification measures in the next budget so we hope he takes inspiration from today’s announcement by NSW and includes funding for pilots.”
