Reducing carbon footprints by going off gas

“Gas appliances can make people sick” was a message delivered at a recent Beechworth Totally Renewable hosted event with gas cooktops recommended to be first in the line-up to go. Guest speakers Goulburn Valley Community Energy’s (GVC) CEO Geoff Lodge said gas fumes can remain inside homes with adverse health impacts on occupants. Mr Lodge was one of two guest speakers with Ausnet community engagement adviser Jo Kalstein at the event titled ‘Electrify Your Home – get off gas and save money’ held at the Quercus Beechworth Oregon Hall. Around 25 people drawn to the session gained insights into key benefits for electrifying their homes. Mr Lodge also said homes exclusively using electric appliances had lower operating costs compared to homes with gas appliances. The CEO said the most practical approach for most households in the home electrification journey is a transitional process with gas appliances replaced when each one reached their “end of serviceable life”. “The one exception is removing the gas cooktop as soon as possible to avoid unwanted exposure to gas fumes inside the kitchen,” he said. “Consideration of how to stay warm in winter, cool in summer and clean air all year round was an important message embedded in the transition to an all-electric home too.” Mr Lodge said energy sourced from electricity has a smaller carbon footprint than energy sourced from gas. “The electricity grid is rapidly transitioning away from coal generated electricity to more renewable energy," he said. “This trend is accelerating and renewable energy will soon dominate the National Energy Market (NEM). “Households that have rooftop solar and batteries can generate a lot of their electricity requirements.” Mr Lodge said the uptake of electric appliances is rapidly increasing. “Solar Victoria provides grants and monitors the uptake of households installing solar, heat pumps,” he said. “The federal government provides rebates for domestic batteries and has good statistics on battery installation rates." Mr Lodge said switching to a free portable induction cook top with a trial offered to five attendees at the event had been taken up with a free home energy assessment included. TRB committee member Peter Anfruns said the cooktops are available for loan. “They can be borrowed on a flexible basis and when people have completed their trial, they can be lent to others to try out,” he said. Environmentally friendly factors in reducing carbon footprints will play a vital part in switching from a gas to an electric induction cooktop for Beechworth’s Mike Bydder. Mike borrowed a cooktop to try out but said more research is needed for costs involved including an electrician. “As a gas bottle lasts for about four years only using the cooktop, there is not a big advantage to changing to induction, especially as the changeover cost is quite high,” he said. Mike said he found the presentation from Ausnet’s Jo Kapstein interesting too. mentioning additional pressure placed on the electrical grid as electricity replaces gas use. The Electrify Hume presentation by GV Community Energy at Beechworth was funded by Sustainability Victoria under the Community Electrification Engagement Program. Mr Lodge said the project had delivered 42 public events across the Hume region with more than 5000 attendees over the last 12 months. He said three information sources for people included Solar Savers - Goulburn Murray Climate Action, State Electricity Commission and GV Community Energy. Hand-outs from Rewiring Australia were circulated at the event. The final event will be held on Sunday 23 August in Tatura with Gardening Australia’s Costa Georgiadis.

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