Could we be Australia’s first electrified community?

Thirroul residents Jessie and Francis have been dreading receiving their energy bills.

Watching the news and hearing about soaring gas prices has only confirmed for them that there must be a better way.

The couple is planning to install solar panels on their home. They also dream of owning their own battery and electric vehicle. But for now, with big price tags and limited availability, those items remain just that – a dream.

From dreams to blueprints

Many of you would be familiar with Saul Griffiths, Austinmer local/scientist/big thinker and energy guru. Saul has been touring the country promoting his ideas of electrification. That is, transforming our houses, cars and suburbs so they run more efficiently and are powered by the sun.

Saul and his team at Rewiring Australia have laid out a detailed blueprint which shows that switching to an electric future is not mere optimism, it is feasible and achievable now. And they’re setting out to prove it.

Rewiring Australia is on the hunt to create and support Australia’s first electric suburb, and we believe it should be here.

A world-first pilot program

The world is fast moving towards a clean energy economy and many of us have already seen the economic and environmental benefits of being a part of that transition. Hands up if you have installed solar panels?

The pilot program would assist a community to make the full electric switch. That is, generously subsidise and support participating households to go electric in six ways: solar, a battery, heating your home, hot water, cooking and an electric car.

The exact details of the program are still being nutted out but could look something like this: Over a two-year pilot program, Rewiring Australia will give you the electrified appliances you don’t already own and loan you an electric vehicle. This will cut your running costs on average by 30% (saving you thousands in energy and fuel costs).

At the end of the two years, you get to keep the appliances and can buy the EV at a discount.

Win-win-win

Sound good? As Jessie and Francis said, “We’re keen to support climate change solutions but many of the options, like an electric car, have been out of reach for us. This pilot sounds fantastic. Save money, save the planet, improve your home, and provide work for local installers … what is there to lose?”

Next steps

This is a unique and exciting opportunity to not only electrify our own homes but our entire community. To get it off the ground, we need at least 500 households to participate.

Please register your interest in participating (or to find out more) by completing a short survey. If you’re not in the 2515 postcode, still complete the survey as with enough interest there could be multiple postcodes in the program.

Visit electrify2515.org/survey. We’re excited to electrify with you!