Supporting low-income households in the move towards electrification

Moving away from residential gas is an essential step for reducing Australia’s emissions and lowering households’ energy bills. However, there are still far too many existing households experiencing energy hardship who need greater support to switch their homes to all-electric.

Our Social Policy and Research Centre’s latest report, Enabling Electrification , co-authored with the University of Melbourne’s Life Course Centre, sheds light on this critical issue. Recently launched by the Victorian Minister for Climate Action and Energy and Resources, the Hon Lily D’Ambrosio MP, the study focused on households facing energy stress to better understand their attitudes to shifting away from gas, and their ability to electrify their homes, as well as the barriers they face.   

The report found most participants surveyed supported a transition from gas to electricity but faced barriers to electrifying their homes. BSL’s Climate and Energy lead, Damian Sullivan said:

Renters face some of the biggest barriers. Even if they can afford to, they’re often not allowed by their landlords to switch to electric appliances, and many were afraid to even ask. Electrification and energy efficiency upgrades are essential because they lead to robust energy bill reductions, which last over time, unlike one-off payments

The report highlighted the need for a clear plan to move away from gas and accelerate quality retrofits for lower-income homes (including social housing), a one-stop shop that provides tailored and trusted electrification information and advice, reforms to help renters electrify and subsidies for low-income homeowners.