Report finds going electric is the smart switch

THE Smart Energy Council is touting the benefits of converting major infrastructure from gas to electricity, and a federal fund that helped a Surf Coast Shire building make the switch has also just rolled out its second round of grants.

The Getting Off Gas report, released earlier this month, noted a tripling of gas prices over the past decade was driving the uptake of low-cost renewable energy powered green heat technologies.

It cited several businesses and community facilities that were seeing a return on investment in as little as two years by replacing gas systems with electric alternatives.

These include the Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre, which switched from a gas boiler to a system including heat pumps, an integrated heat recovery system, onsite rooftop solar panels and thermal energy storage.

This saved Brimbank City $260,000 in its first year and is modelled to avoid 1,192 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year when compared to gas.

The Surf Coast Shire’s under-construction Wurdi Baierr Aquatic and Recreation Centre was originally meant to be powered by gas, but rescoped its design in July 2022 to go all-electric.

Less than a year later, the shire received $700,000 through the Community Energy Upgrades Fund to replace a gas-powered heating and cooling system at its civic centre with a fully electric unit running on renewable energy. The change is expected to save 1,050 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions over 20 years.

“Households already know how to save hundreds to thousands of dollars by getting off gas, and today this report outlines that businesses know this too,” Smart Energy Council large-scale and manufacturing policy and engagement manager Connor Price said.

“From global manufacturers to local councils, Australian innovation is driving real savings and showing what a clean, competitive future looks like.”

The federal government is providing $55 million in grants to 66 projects across Australia in the second round of the Community Energy Upgrades Fund.

Across the program, all projects include solar panels and over half will include battery storage systems.

“Generations of Australians have enjoyed and benefitted from facilities in the local community, and with this latest round of funding from the Albanese government, we are ensuring that these facilities can invest more into their work for their local communities,” Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen said.

“From the local cricket ground, story time at the library, and diving into the local pool at the height of summer, these upgrades will deliver a cheaper, cleaner energy future for Australia – it’s further proof that what’s good for the planet is good for the pocket.”