SwitchedOn Australia

When renewable energy developers first approached the Hay Shire Council in south-west NSW, the council saw both opportunity and risk. With the region designated as a Renewable Energy Zone and major wind projects on the horizon, they knew the energy transition could bring real benefits, but also real community division. Rather than sit back and let events unfold, they took the lead, helping ensure the community would engage with the transition. In partnership with the community, Hay Shire Council developed a proactive, inclusive process that not only kept the community informed, but led to a clear, community-driven set of benefit proposals, ranging from long-term affordable energy to supported housing. Ali McLean, the Council's Economic Development Manager, shares how local government can shape the future when it steps up early and listens closely.

A critical question emerges as we push to decarbonise, electrify our homes, and modernise the grid: who benefits from the clean energy transition—and who risks being left behind? Shalanda Baker, Vice Provost for Sustainability and Climate Action at the University of Michigan and former Director of Energy Justice and Equity under the Biden administration shares her powerful insights on how the rapid shift to decarbonisation could risk repeating the inequities of the fossil fuel era if not carefully managed. She highlights the disproportionate impact of energy insecurity on low-income and communities of colour in the U.S. and draws parallels to Australia's energy landscape, where rising costs and shifting policies threaten vulnerable communities. With a focus on designing energy systems that are equitable, accessible, and sustainable, Baker urges policymakers to prioritise justice alongside decarbonisation to ensure that the benefits of clean energy flow to those who need it most.

It's estimated Australians are spending $4 billion more each year on electricity than we need to, simply because we're not on the best energy plan available to us. But very few of us switch retailers because the process is too tedious and opaque. Frustrated by his own painful experience trying to switch electricity retailers, Matt Peterson has turned his ordeal into a startup business that could help us all save hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Automised Energy is an automated platform that helps Australians cut through the energy comparison chaos using our own data, and newly available legislation, the Consumer Data Right. Unlike many comparison services, Automised Energy isn't tied to any retailer, which means their recommendations are driven by what's best for us, not a commission.

As Australia heads into the final week of the federal election campaign, we explore groundbreaking new analysis from the Australian National University that identifies which electorates are the best sites for renewables. While renewable developers have long known where the best sites are, local communities have often been left in the dark. In this episode, we dive into how making this data public could shift the balance of power and give regional Australia a real say in the clean energy boom. With billions of investment and jobs on the table it could reshape the future of regional communities. Senior researcher Dr Cheng Cheng reveals that New England — the electorate of outspoken renewables critic Barnaby Joyce — could host enough clean energy to power half the country, unlocking $60 billion in investment and thousands of jobs.

The second of our series spotlighting community independents with expertise in energy as they prepare to contest the upcoming federal election. Nicolette Boele is running for a second time in the Liberal seat of Bradfield on Sydney's North Shore. Drawing on more than 35 years of experience across climate, finance, and clean energy, Nicolette shares her perspective on Australia's energy and climate challenges — and why she believes they're rooted in a broader political failure. She discusses what's driving her renewed campaign, her vision for a more accountable and transparent political system, and how better climate and energy policy could help tackle Australia's cost-of-living and housing crises.

The Federal electorate of Calare sits at the heart of Australia's energy transition. It's home to one of NSW's Renewable Energy Zones, a proposed site for the federal Opposition's nuclear energy plan, and a major agricultural region navigating rising energy costs and climate impacts. Community independent candidate Kate Hook explains why Calare is a microcosm of the national energy debate — and why she believes the electorate has more to gain from the shift to renewables than almost any other. She outlines her plan for fairer access to clean energy, including government-backed loans to help households electrify and reduce energy bills, and argues for a managed transition that supports fossil fuel workers, delivers regional investment, and avoids costly delays, and distractions like nuclear.

Rooftop solar has long been out of reach for many renters and apartment dwellers but the Haystacks Solar Garden in NSW's Riverina has pioneered a new model for people locked out of rooftop solar. Haystacks is Australia's first large-scale solar garden — and a recent winner of a Banksia National Sustainability Award. With 175 ‘solar plots' generating power from the Grong Grong solar farm, this community-led project offers a new model for energy equity and a fresh take on how big solar can partner with communities. Nigel Hancock from community energy group Pingala, one of the key partners behind Haystacks, explains how solar gardens work and whether the model can be scaled to empower more communities around the country.

Regional Australia is on the frontlines of the renewable energy boom, but many locals feel left out of the action. Tony Inder is a sixth-generation sheep farmer from Wellington, NSW, who's found a way to make large-scale solar and agriculture work together. Tony now runs sheep under solar panels, and he says it's been a win-win for the land, the livestock, and the local economy. His story challenges the idea that solar farms and farming can't mix, and shows what's possible when communities are part of the energy transition from the ground up.

With cost-of-living pressures making energy a key election issue, we look at how tariff reform can impact on affordability and electrification, as well as support and accelerate the transition to renewables. Dr. Ahmad Faruqui is a San Francisco-based energy economist with over 45 years experience advising electricity utilities, regulators, and governments worldwide. He discusses why we need to reform our electricity tariffs, ways we can do that, and how consumers can benefit from a more flexible, future-focused electricity system.

In this second episode of our series of interviews with community energy groups installing batteries we speak to Lachlan Hensey, the energy and storage project lead for Yarra Energy Foundation (YEF), one of the few community energy groups in Australia to successfully install a community battery. While most so-called ‘community batteries' are actually installed by electricity networks, YEF navigated the significant financial, regulatory and system hurdles community groups face to make theirs a reality. He shares how they did it, the challenges they overcame, and why defining the problem the battery is supposed to solve is key to designing a successful project.

Electricity prices are skyrocketing, and more households are facing high bills they can't afford to pay. Complaints to the NSW Energy and Water Ombudsman jumped 57% last year, as more households struggled to pay for electricity. Last week the energy regulator proposed raising the default market offer price cap, which could make things even worse for those who don't shop around for a better energy plan. But there is some hope for consumers—last week State and Federal Energy Ministers have backed a plan to improve consumer protections. What does this mean for everyday Australians? And what more needs to be done? The NSW Energy and Water Ombudsman, Janine Young, unpacks the surge in complaints and explores what stronger consumer protections should look like in practice.

The push to electrify our homes means investing in new appliances, but many Australians struggle to find reliable information about what they're buying. Research from the Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC) reveals that key details—like durability, repairability, and spare part availability—are often missing at the point of sale. While most consumers want to make environmentally responsible choices, they're frequently misled by vague green marketing claims rather than clear, science-backed data. Although 96% of consumers rely on the trusted Energy Star rating, greenwashing is widespread, with 80% also influenced by unregulated “eco” labels. Compared to other countries, Australia lags in providing transparency on appliance lifespan and maintenance, making it harder for people to choose long-lasting, cost-effective, energy-efficient options. Erin Turner, CEO of the CPRC, unpacks the findings of their latest research and highlights the challenges consumers face when purchasing appliances for a greener future.

For years, the energy industry has operated under a flawed assumption: that consumers manage their energy use like ‘mini-economists' or ‘mini-engineers.' But as digital sociologist Professor Yolande Strengers from Monash University argues, this overlooks the realities of how people actually engage with energy. To truly understand energy use, she says, we need to examine daily household practices and motivations. Strengers' Digital Energy Futures project explores how our lives—and not just our energy use—might evolve, offering valuable insights to help industry improve service design, product development, and energy forecasting.

In the first of our series of interviews with community groups installing community batteries, we hear from Graeme Martin, the Director of Village Power, on what to do and what not to do if you want to install a community battery. Village Power has been beavering away to get a community battery installed in the Alphington/Fairfield area of Melbourne for over seven years. They liken the process to a game of snakes and ladders, with setbacks at every turn, because they still haven't managed to switch their battery on. Their latest hurdle came two weeks ago when the retailer they'd negotiated to come on board the project dropped them.

Alan Pears has been helping shape Australia's sustainable energy policies since the late 1970s. He's a Senior Industry Fellow at RMIT University and one of Australia's pre-eminent energy efficiency experts and environmental consultants and has advised federal, state and local governments across Australia, as well as community groups and the private sector. Alan has played a pivotal role in the development of efficient energy appliances, green buildings, energy labels for electric appliances, and mandatory home insulation regulations. In a recent submission to the electricity pricing review now being conducted by the Australian Energy Market Commission he argues there are some basic flaws in our energy system that urgently need fixing: the system is constrained by 'bounded rationality'—narrow thinking and understanding—and it's time energy networks and retailers shoulder more risk, not consumers.

Over 40 renewable energy zones have so far been identified across Australia and it's estimated we'll need 10,000 kms of new transmission lines built before 2050. That's hundreds of new big solar, wind and battery projects. But for many people in the regions the lack of clear information on how new renewable projects will impact specific areas is leading to confusion and scepticism. Key concerns include the impact on agricultural land, environmental issues, and the slow and bureaucratic planning processes. The Director of RE-Alliance, Andrew Bray, argues we need better community engagement and transparent communication to ensure regional benefits and address environmental impacts. He says local energy hubs could bridge the gap between government, industry, and local communities.

The Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy wants the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, ARENA, to fund more suburb wide community electrification projects. Climate Council councillor Greg Bourne says it's an important move – community involvement in energy projects is vital for the energy transition. Bourne has worked at the nexus of climate change, energy business and policy for over 30 years, and was the inaugural chair of ARENA. In a previous life he headed BP Australasia. He's still “horribly optimistic” about the renewable energy transition, despite global political challenges and the rise of climate change denialism. But he wants the government to deliver smart metres and prioritise the mandatory disclosure of home energy prices and energy efficiency as part of their Federal election strategy.

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.

Deputy Chair of Zero Emissions Noosa, Mark Purcell, is on a mission to get 50,000 households to electrify and install batteries. He's electrified three homes, and now wants to spread the word to other householders about electrification and decarbonisation. He's calculated that if he can get 50,000 households to electrify and install batteries one less gas peaker plant will be needed during critical hours of peak demand. But although he's fully committed to household electrification and decarbonisation, Mark didn't start his own electrification journey for sustainability reasons.

Two years ago Brody Kenrick embarked on a journey to not just make his late 60s house carbon neutral, but carbon negative. He wanted to make sure his own house had zero carbon emissions and also displace emissions from the grid. Since upgrading his own home Kenrick has also decarbonised his son's preschool, his parents' house, and his in-laws. They all now make big savings on their energy bills. While he admits being a trained electrical engineer and tech savvy has been an advantage, and he and his wife were fortunate to have the upfront capital, Kenrick says many of the energy upgrades they did can be achieved by other people. He hopes his house will be a ‘proof of concept' for others who want to electrify and decarbonise.

Sarah Aubrey lived in her federation house in the inner west of Sydney for 12 years before she embarked on her electrification journey. By then she was fed up with being cold in winter and paying ever increasing energy bills. So she ditched the gas, went fully electric and efficient, and now uses a quarter of the electricity she used to.

When it comes to electrification everyone's situation is different, and whilst many people are curious about home electrification, others are disinterested or hesitant – it's seen as too complex, too costly, and too hard to find someone you can trust to do the work. Which is why the Victorian Government announced plans to roll-out ‘one-stop-shops' that will help householders get accurate information, connect them with accredited installers and products, and apply for government rebates and incentives. Last year the Victorian government relaunched the State Electricity Commission, with a renewables reboot. As well as ramping up renewable generation and storage, the SEC has been tasked with supporting the switch to all-electric households. The partnerships manager at the SEC, Jess Christiansen, discusses how the roll-out of ‘one-stop-shops' is progressing.

Australia is still investing heavily in new fossil gas projects, the Australian government's Future Gas Strategy emphasizes the continued use of gas beyond 2050, and we still don't have a gas reduction strategy. The CEO of the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), Amandine Denis-Ryan, explains how fossil gas continues to shape our thinking in Australia, why new gas supplies are not needed in the long term, and why we urgently need a nationwide plan for electrification.

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

In just over 8 years the Octopus Group has become one of the largest green energy retailers, generators, installers and investors in the UK. Underpinning and revolutionising the way they do business is Kraken technology. Devrim Celal is the Chief Marketing and flexibility officer at Kraken. He explains why consumer trust in the electricity industry is so important and why the energy transition will not succeed unless we are given incentives to participate in helping balance electricity when it is available and when it is not. For more information about electrification and energy efficiency https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au

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

The Federal Government has funded over 400 community batteries to be installed across Australia to provide shared storage for up to 100,000 households. Most of that funding has gone to electricity distributors, the poles and wires companies. One of those companies is Ausgrid, the largest distributor of electricity on the east coast, providing power to nearly 2 million customers. Group Executive of Distributed Services at Ausgrid, Rob Amphlett Lewis, discusses why mid-scale batteries have a big role to play in the energy transition, how they will become cost effective in the future, and how householders can benefit from them. For more information about electrification and energy efficiency https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au

Poor air tightness of our buildings can lead to draughty, leaky, and uncomfortable homes. It can also increase our energy bills by up to 20 per cent. Senior experimental scientist at the CSIRO, Michael Ambrose, has recently completed Australia's most comprehensive study on the ‘leakiness' of recently built homes. He found the air tightness of new homes has improved significantly since he first conducted a similar study in 2015, but there's still room for improvement. For more information on energy efficiency and electrification https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au

Brendan Lang is an electrician from Melbourne who swapped his diesel guzzling tradie ute for a Tesla. He calls his business Get off Gas and this week he provides answers to household electrification questions. For more information about electrification and energy efficiency https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au

A new campaign urging the federal government to invest in local energy hubs in regional areas has kicked off. It follows the release of a recent report by the Regional Australia Institute that suggests Australia's net zero targets are under threat unless regional communities are given a seat at the table to help drive the renewable energy change. Sally Hunter is a farmer from Gomeroy country, near Narrabri, in north west New South Wales. Her family farm is one of the first in the region to go all-electric. She's also the founder and managing director of Genie Energy, a not for profit that provides information about renewable energy to the Narrabri community. Genie Energy is seen as a template for local energy hubs. For more information about electrification and energy efficiency https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au

Zero Emissions Noosa (ZEN) – a community energy group in Queensland – is currently working with the Noosa Council to install a community battery in the Noosa region. They're the only non-industry group in Queensland to receive a federal grant for a community battery. ZEN has published a recent report that acknowledges community batteries aren't yet financially viable without government grants, but they argue community batteries are still necessary for the energy transition. Vivienne Griffin is one of the report's authors and co-convener of ZEN's community batteries initiative. For more on electrification and energy efficiency https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au

Household hot water systems account for a quarter of a household's power load. Finding ways to save on the cost of producing hot water, and reduce emissions, has been the focus of much recent research. But it's not just what we heat our water with, but when. Energy experts argue we should shift our hot water heating to the middle of the day when there is abundant solar going into the system. Not only will this reduce our emissions, it could save billions of dollars. Recent research shows there is a $6.7 billion missed opportunity if newly electrified hot water systems aren't used as a flexible resource. Dr Gabrielle Kuiper is a specialist in distributed energy resources, and a guest contributor to IEEFA, the Institute for energy economics and financial analysis, who argues we have to get smarter about hot water. For more information about electrification and energy efficiency https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au

22 years ago the Solar Schools initiative was founded to help schools better monitor and manage their energy use, and also educate kids about energy. The program has been ‘incredibly successful' at helping students and schools take charge of the energy they use. In 2023 the 600 schools they work with reduced 45,000 tons of CO2 and saved taxpayers about $7.8 million. But with increasing amounts of technology now being used in Australian schools, our schools are consuming energy at an ever-increasing rate. Rob Bruer, the co-founder and CEO of Solar Schools, outlines a case for installing solar and batteries in every school in the country, making it core to the energy mix in the country, and making energy literacy core to the school curricula. For more information about electrification and energy efficiency https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au

Deputy Chair of Zero Emissions Noosa, Mark Purcell, is on a mission to get 50,000 households to electrify and install batteries. For more information on electrification and energy efficiency https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au

Electrifying and decarbonising our homes isn't always straightforward – we might not know where to start, what to prioritise, who to trust, what products to install, how much it will all cost, what rebates and incentives are available, can I get finance, what's the best energy retailer that won't rip me off. And despite the financial incentives that are now available for households and businesses the uptake on rebates remains low. The process can be a minefield, and many people end up thinking, why bother. A new website is now trying to take some of the pain out of the process. The founder of Upgrade IQ, Leigh Simpson, discusses how the site links customers with tradies and installers who they've already vetted, who can provide tailored information on government incentives, and design solutions for individual households, along with financing options. For more information about electrification and energy efficiency https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au

Energy Efficiency Council's Jeremy Sung discusses energy standards for lighting and heat pumps and the federal government's Consumer Energy Resources Roadmap. For more information on electrification and energy efficiency https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au

CEFC's Grace Tam on how green finance can turbo charge household electrification – and why access to service providers and information is just as important.

Brendan Lang runs an electrification business in Melbourne that helps householders and businesses transition from gas-fuelled appliances to efficient electric ones. He's a passionate environmentalist who has swapped his Amarok ute for a Tesla model Y. Brendan discusses why he opted for a Tesla, and provides some practical advice on the best forms of heating, when you need 3 phase power or should rewire your house, how to find a good electrician, and why peer to peer training for electricians is so important. For more information on electrification and energy efficiency https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au

In the absence of bipartisan support for solutions to the climate crisis, local community groups and individuals are taking it upon themselves to help drive the transition to a clean energy economy. ClearSky Solar is just one community initiative that is helping businesses divest from fossil fuels by supporting investments in clean energy and sustainable projects. They do this by linking community investors to local solar projects that need financing. Clearsky has helped finance solar installations on car washes, breweries, retail outlets, hotels, utilities companies, supermarkets, and bakeries. In just ten years they have raised $26 million, installed 95 solar projects, and generated 20 mega watts of rooftop solar energy. Dr Christina Kirsch is a director at ClearSky Solar. For more information on electrification and energy efficiency https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au

Two years ago Brody Kenrick embarked on a journey to not just make his late 60s house carbon neutral, but carbon negative. He wanted to make sure his own house had zero carbon emissions and also displace emissions from the grid. Since upgrading his own home Kenrick has also decarbonised his son's preschool, his parents' house, and his in-laws. They all now make big savings on their energy bills. While he admits being a trained electrical engineer and tech savvy has been an advantage, and he and his wife were fortunate to have the upfront capital, Kenrick says many of the energy upgrades they did can be achieved by other people. He hopes his house will be a ‘proof of concept' for others who want to electrify and decarbonise.

Australia's Energy Market Operator predicts that in the future over 30 per cent of Australia's electricity generation and flexible demand services will come from VPPs. And many energy retailers are literally banking on consumers signing up to one. VPPs are seen as one way to coordinate and manage all the numerous small-scale, decentralized energy resources like solar panels, EVs, and home batteries. But not everyone thinks that's going to happen. Tim Washington is the co-founder and CEO of one of Australia's largest electric vehicle charging services, Jetcharge. And he doesn't think many Australians will need to join a VPP when they have an electric vehicle with bidirectional charging that will not only be able to charge from their solar, it will send energy back to the grid or into our homes. He predicts this will make electricity free, for many of us. For more information about electrification and energy efficiency https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au

Most energy retailers make money by accessing the wholesale energy market, whacking on a big mark up, and then selling power to consumers. The more energy we use, the more money they make. But Amber Electric is not playing the usual retailer game. They give consumers direct access to the wholesale energy market. Co-founder and Co-CEO of Amber Electric, Dan Adams, outlines how Amber is disrupting the energy retail industry, why the massive energy resources consumers are installing won't be fully optimised without first building consumer trust, and why retailers must be more transparent and give customers full control of their energy assets. For more information on electrification and energy efficiency https://switchedon.reneweconomy.com.au

Electric bikes are taking Australia by storm as more people recognise they can be used for commuting. Bike advocates argue e-bikes, and active transport, should have a large part to play in our transport future. 50% of all trips across our cities are now less than 5 kilometres – a perfect distance for e-biking. Peter Bourke, the General Manager of Bicycle Industries Australia and the Executive Officer of We Ride Australia, estimates that if we increase the number of e-bike commutes by just 5%, it will not only have a massive impact on traffic congestion, the environment, and our health, but also carbon emissions. To help achieve net zero transport we need to change our thinking about bike riding and active transport and ensure people feel safe riding by building more infrastructure and dedicated spaces to active transport. But just when we need e-bikes to help decarbonise our transport, we're seeing an increase in poor quality and potentially dangerous e-bikes entering the country. For more information about electrification and energy efficiency https://switchedon.reneweconomy.com.au

A popular refrain of the renewable energy transition is it will deliver an energy system that is more democratic, as well as decarbonised. That the political power of generating energy will shift from big power companies to households, as a result of us being able to generate and control electrical power from our rooftop solar, batteries, electric vehicles, etc. But this decentralised, democratic narrative isn't a foregone conclusion. For many years Dr Bjorn Sturmberg, the Research Leader at the Battery Storage and Grid Integration Program at the ANU, has worked towards energy equity – he implemented Australia's first solar and storage microgrid for an apartment building, and led a startup that makes solar work for rental properties. But Bjorn now believes trying to address energy equity in our privatised energy market is flawed, and we need to expand our imaginations so we can have energy equity for everyone. He's proposing a basic energy scheme where every household is provided with free electricity to cover essential, non-discretionary uses of electricity – cooking, heating and cooling – and excess consumption is paid for through existing market mechanisms. For more on electrification and energy efficiency https://switchedon.reneweconomy.com.au

In the last couple of weeks the Federal Government has brought down a budget that does nothing to help householders electrify, and a gas strategy based on the premise that fossil “gas is needed through to 2050 and beyond.” Whilst the Government has promised a $300 rebate on every household's energy bill, this one-off sugar hit is seen by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) as a missed opportunity to deliver permanent energy bill relief to those most in need. Permanent bill relief could have been achieved if householders were helped to get off gas and electrify by installing rooftop solar and batteries. Furthermore, the looming gas supply gap the government wants to fill with more gas, could be plugged by reducing household gas use. Joshua Runciman is the lead analyst for Australian gas at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, IEEFA. For more information about electrification and energy efficiency https://switchedon.reneweconomy.com.au

As we embrace the renewable energy transition there's a growing interest in ‘community' batteries – they're seen as a way for local communities to share energy resources, especially with people who can't afford their own batteries or solar. But Tristan Edis, the Director of Analysis and Advisory at the consultancy firm Green Energy Markets, says most of the medium sized batteries that have so far been installed in Australia and called ‘community' batteries have failed to deliver value for energy consumers, or reduce energy bills. He's crunched the numbers and found the government has been funding big monopoly power companies to install ‘community' batteries which produce power that is substantially more expensive than what a household battery can. For more information on electrification and energy efficiency https://switchedon.reneweconomy.com.au