The Household Electrification Opportunity
Electrifying our households and powering them with rooftop solar is a huge opportunity to permanently cut our power bills and our emissions. By switching out expensive gas appliances at the end of their natural life, replacing them with electrical alternatives, and installing rooftop solar, the average Australian household could save nearly $3,500 ever year. This is because modern electrical appliances are much more efficient than their gas counterparts, and Australian rooftop solar is the cheapest home energy
anywhere in the world. It’s a climate and a cost of living imperative.
Wentworth’s first Climate Summit showed there is huge desire in our community to accelerate action on electrification, so this is one of my top priorities. At the federal level, I’ve been advocating for significant funding, as well as lobbying the government to provide tailored support for people renting and living in apartments.
I’m particularly interested to see what we can achieve together in Wentworth. That’s why I’m engaging with Councils, businesses, homeowners, landlords and strata managers to support new and existing electrification initiatives. These include accelerating rooftop solar uptake on our schools and our community organisations, installing more EV chargers, and getting a community battery in Bondi.
How You Can Save Money Electrifying Your Home
There are already a range of government programmes that can support households with some of the costs of electrifying their homes and installing solar. People often tell me they’re confused about the different options that are available, so below I’ve summarised some of the federal, state, and local government incentives that Wentworth households may be able to access.
Federal Government Incentives
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Electric car discount
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Following legislation I supported last year, certain zero or low-emissions vehicles are now exempt from paying fringe benefits tax. Find out more via the Australian Taxation Office Fact Sheet.
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Small-scale renewable energy scheme
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Households and small businesses that install a small-scale renewable energy system, or a hot water system, may be able to receive support to help with the purchase cost. This is obtained through creating small-scale technology certificates. Check your eligibility and apply via the Clean Energy Regulator website.
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NSW Government Incentives
Incentives
- A range of incentives are available to help people in NSW upgrade existing appliances and energy equipment to more efficient models. Switching to more efficient appliances helps reduce your energy use and can save you money on power bills in the long-term. You can access specific support to:
Rebate swap for solar and energy-efficient upgrades
- NSW residents who are currently receiving a Low-Income Household Rebate are eligible to swap this rebate for a free solar system or energy efficient upgrades under several different programmes. Check your availability via the NSW government website.
Electric vehicle rebate and stamp duty refund
- Rebates of $3,000 are being offered for the first 25,000 new battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles valued at less than $68,750. There is also no stamp duty payable on eligible new and used EV purchases that cost up to $78,000. If you’ve already paid stamp duty on your EV, you may also be entitled to a refund.
Reducing Power Bills
In collaboration with Waverley, Woollahra & Randwick Councils, Allegra hosted the March Net Zero Month of Action. Click the link to your local council below for education resources and support for households, businesses and individuals to reduce greenhouse emissions.
