SwitchedOn Australia

Amandine Denis-Ryan, CEO of the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, talks about Australia's ongoing reliance on fossil gas despite the need for a green transition. She stresses the urgency of developing a nationwide electrification plan and critiques the government's focus on gas usage extending beyond 2050. The conversation reveals how misinformation from the gas industry hinders progress and emphasizes the need for improved energy policies that promote electrification for both economic benefits and sustainable living for all Australians.

Alastair Matcott, from Green Energy Trading, worked on an advocacy project that provided free energy audits and free renewable energy upgrades for private renters and investors. But it failed because they were completely stonewalled by every real estate company and industry body they encountered. It’s left Alastair thinking the only way to deal with the split incentive between landlords and tenants is to mandate minimum energy standards for rental homes.

It’s estimated the healthcare industry contributes around 7% of Australia’s carbon emissions, with hospitals being the biggest carbon emitters in the sector. Hospitals run 24/7 energy-intensive operations for heating, cooling, lighting and to power all that medical equipment. A new campaign led by health care workers and medical groups is calling on the federal government to kick start what will be a marathon to electrify Australia’s 700 odd public hospitals. They’re proposing the government fund a feasibility study to retrofit and electrify nine of Australia’s existing public hospitals. Ursula Alquier is the Healthy Hospitals Campaigner for Health Futures, the not-for-profit social enterprise behind the proposal.

With around a third of our homes now sporting a solar array, Australia leads the world by far in solar installations. Recent research has looked at what makes people install solar and found some very surprising factors. Postcodes with higher rates of unemployed have higher rates of rooftop solar, for instance, and the more solar panels you see in your neighbourhood, the more likely you are to install them yourself. Kaveh Khalilpour is one of the report’s researchers and an Associate Professor in Engineering at the University of Technology in Sydney.

Australia is generating more energy on rooftops than from coal and gas plants, and the industry is betting on virtual power plants (VPPs) to harness this power for the grid. VPPs work by coordinating solar panels, batteries, and other small energy resources to function as one large, flexible power source. But many consumers are reluctant to join one. James Sturch is a Technical Director at Solar Edge, and he warns that VPPs are set up to fail unless the energy system changes. Whilst governments and industry push for consumers to join VPPs, he argues the system itself creates roadblocks and disincentives. So, what needs to change to make VPPs work for everyone? For more information about electrification and energy efficiency https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au

Rosemary Grundy has done a detailed analysis of how long it will take to get a return on her investment in renewables. From the day she moved into her new house in December 2021, she’s diligently recorded how much she saves from not using fossil fuels, and how much she pays for electricity, and calculated that she’ll break even on her solar panels, batteries, and two electric vehicles in just under 9 years. Rosemary is now developing a break-even calculator to help other householders work out when they’ll break even on their renewable investments, and is on a mission to show Australians who have the financial capacity, that making the transition to renewables is not only good for the climate, it makes financial sense. For more information on Rosemary's original break-even analysis: https://switchedon.reneweconomy.com.au/content/breaking-even-on-2-teslas-solar-panels-and-batteries-in-just-over-8-years For her update: https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au/residential-renewables-can-pay-for-themselves-before-they-reach-their-end-of-life/ For more information about electrification and energy efficiency: https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au

Devrim Celal, Chief Marketing and Flexibility Officer at Kraken, offers insights into the pivotal role of consumer trust in the energy transition. He discusses how Octopus Energy Group has become a leader in green energy by sharing innovative technologies like Kraken. The conversation highlights the need for incentives to engage consumers in balancing electricity supply and demand. Celal also emphasizes the importance of flexible electric vehicle charging and personalized energy services for enhancing consumer satisfaction and participation in a sustainable electricity system.

The Electrify 2515 Community Pilot has landed $5.4 million from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency to run a world first electrification pilot. Under the pilot, 500 residents in the 2515 postcode south of Sydney will receive subsidies and support to install electric hot water, reverse cycle air conditioners, induction cooktops, and home batteries, and a free smart home energy device to track and optimise their energy use. But the main objective of the pilot is to identify the opportunities and challenges that will enable household electrification to be scaled up across the whole country. Kristen McDonald is one of the co-ordinators of the Electrify 2515 project who has helped shepherd the project from idea to reality. She’s also now the mobilisation and engagement manager at Rewiring Australia. For more information on electrification and energy efficiency https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au/truly-a-world-first-grass-roots-suburban-electrification-pilot-wins-federal-funding/

By the end of the decade, it’s anticipated every home in Australia will be paying time-of-use, or cost-reflective, tariffs, rather than a flat rate for our electricity. Some households though are getting much higher electricity bills because their electricity retailer didn’t tell them they’d been put on a time-of-use tariff and have to pay more during peak periods. Brendan French, the Chief Executive of Energy Consumers Australia, outlines why cost-reflective tariffs shouldn’t be mandatory, and why we need to simplify consumer bills, not make them more complicated. For more information on electrification and energy efficiency https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au

Rob Amphlett Lewis, Group Executive of Distributed Services at Ausgrid, shares insights on the transformative impact of community batteries across Australia. He explains how these mid-scale batteries can empower nearly 100,000 households with shared solar energy storage, promoting cost savings and grid efficiency. The discussion reveals the evolving role of energy retailers in the face of community batteries and highlights the importance of local engagement and government support in their deployment. Overcoming regulatory challenges is key to driving this innovative energy transition.