More than five million Australian homes are connected to the gas network. Tackling climate change requires homes and businesses to move away from gas, and instead embrace electric appliances as the power grid shifts to renewable energy.
People can save a lot of money by staying away from gas—even more if they have solar panels. But still, millions of Australians have yet to take action. Why?
Our new research, released today, seeks to shed light on this question. We focused on low-income households in Victoria and found that while most participants supported switching from gas, few owned electric appliances for heating, cooking and hot water.
There are two main obstacles: people cannot afford the initial cost of buying new electric appliances, or renters and therefore have little or no say in which appliances are installed. Overcoming these and other challenges is essential to ensure that no one is left behind in Australia’s energy transition.
It makes it fair for everyone
Victoria has committed to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. To help achieve this, the state government has developed a plan for the state to electrify. Other states and territories are also moving in this direction.
But until now, not enough research and policy attention has been given to make this transition fair and equitable for all.
Low-income households spend a larger share of their income on energy bills compared to higher-income households. This is despite households using less energy.
The affordability of gas will increase as more households will be electrified. That’s because part of a gas bill includes the fixed cost of running the gas infrastructure—so as fewer people use gas, the remaining users pay more.
And those who don’t switch from gas will miss out on the long-term economic benefits. Analysis last year suggested that a typical Victorian home could reduce annual energy costs by A$1,020 by replacing gas heating, cooking and hot water systems with electric ones. The figure rises to $1,250 for those with solar power. These savings will increase if gas prices continue to rise.
That’s why it’s important to help as many low-income people as possible to switch to electric appliances. Our research is designed to understand what prevents or enables that transition.
We studied households in Victoria: the state with the highest prevalence of residential gas use in Australia and where plans for an economy-wide transition away from fossil gas are underway.
What we found
We conducted an online survey, which received 220 eligible responses. We also conducted focus groups with 34 people. All participants were from low-income households.
Most participants—88%—used gas at home, reflecting its prevalence in Victoria.
More than two-thirds show some level of support for switching from household gas to cleaner energy sources. Support is greater at higher levels of education. There were no significant differences based on financial stress, living at home, location or age.
But this support did not translate into action. Only one in ten surveyed households have replaced gas appliances with electric ones in the last five years. Among those who have moved or plan to move, the main reasons are low operating costs and environmental benefits.
Respondents consider electric appliances safer and better for the environment. Gas appliances are considered better for heating and cooking. Many respondents are unsure about the relative benefits of electric versus gas appliances when it comes to cost, reliability, safety and the environment.
Preferences are strongly related to what people are currently using. Most people prefer gas cooktops over electric ones, due to perceived speed, convenience and flexibility. However, some participants used electric induction stoves, which may also provide these benefits.
People who speak a language other than English are more likely to prefer gas for heating and hot water.
For those who have not been able to replace gas appliances, being a renter is one of the biggest obstacles to electrification. Some tenants say they live in poor housing, but don’t want to ask for improvements if the landlord raises the rent or evicts them.
Respondents also said they would struggle to pay for electrification costs, such as buying new appliances and, in some cases, upgrading wiring and other building modifications.
Many participants are aware of and receive state government assistance to help with energy bills. But fewer people know about or use programs that can support them in adopting electric appliances.
Embrace the switch
A comprehensive strategy is needed to help all households make the transition to electric appliances and technology. Our research suggests that this should include specific measures for low-income households, such as:
- targeted and well promoted electrification programmes
- more evidence-based information on the benefits of electric appliances
- incentives for landlords and standards requiring efficient electrical appliances in rental properties
- means-tested rebates for electric appliances such as reverse cycle air-conditioners and heat pumps for hot water, and where appropriate, no or low-interest loans.
These measures should, if possible, be linked to measures to improve household energy efficiency. And low-income households, as well as others who face barriers to getting gas, should be included when planning the transition.
Provided by The Conversation
This article is reprinted from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Citation: Love getting out of gas in your home, but struggling to make the switch? Research shows you’re not alone (2023, July 24) retrieved on 25 July 2023 from https://techxplore.com/news/2023-07-keen-gas-home-struggling-youre.html
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