FAQs

General

  • A: Electrify 2515 is a dedicated group of local people who share a passion for big ideas and positive change, working together on a voluntary basis. Our goal is to create Australia’s first zero emissions community and we are doing a number of activities to help bring it about. Most significantly we are advocating for 2515 to be the site of a pilot electrification project, which will assist homes and businesses to transition from polluting fossil fuels to renewable energy. We’re working closely with Rewiring Australia.

  • A: Rewiring Australia was launched in 2021, founded by 2515 local / engineer / energy expert / The Big Switch author, Dr. Saul Griffith. Rewiring Australia illustrates the positive climate and economic outcomes possible for Australia, and the world, with an ‘electrify everything’ strategy. They’re working with government agencies, business, industries, investors and other stakeholders to try and electrify all households in Australia.

  • A: We know the world is moving to electrified homes and transport - it’s cheaper and better for the environment. It’s going to be a big process that affects us all. This pilot will help demonstrate the benefits of converting an entire community to fully electric appliances and vehicles now and build a case for the electrification of more Australian communities. The idea is to test the technological, social and economic viability of concentrated electrification so decision makers can learn and assist all Australians on th path to electrification.

  • A: An electrified household is one that captures its own electricity from the sun, perhaps stores that electricity in a battery and transitions all of its appliances and vehicles away from fossil fuels to electric. Practically, in the average Australian household there are 6 things that could be transitioned to electric - rooftop solar, a home battery, cooking, heating your home, hot water and an electric vehicle.

  • A: Currently Australian households spend an average of $7000 every year on their energy costs, that is on the electricity to power their homes and the fuels for their cars. Not only is most of our energy expensive, it is polluting. Collectively, Australia’s homes and small businesses/organisations make up 70% of Australia’s domestic emissions. The good news is we have the technological solutions available today to electrify our homes and businesses and significantly reduce our national domestic emissions.

    While helping to solve the climate crisis, we can also enjoy the myriad of benefits of having electrified communities, including:

    - An electrified household will save on average $5000 per year on their energy and fuel costs

    - Electrified households will reduce a range of health risks associated with gas cooking, gas heating and cars

    - As a nation, making more electricity will help us grow new export industries and jobs. Think of all the tradespeople needed to install all the electric items!

    - Currently in 2515 we collectively send $15million every year overseas for the petrol and diesel for our cars. Economic modelling shows that roughly 50% of money saved would be spent in our local community.

  • A: The average Australian home could save $5000 per year on their energy and fuel costs by the end of this decade. Visit the Rewiring Australia website for more information.

  • Do it! Electrify 2515 is just a passionate group of local parents who want to do something positive for our community (and our climate). We’d love to see more places join the race to be Australia’s first electric community - check out our ‘Not in 2515?’ page to find out how to get started!

  • Solar panels are more than 95% recyclable, as are the lithium-ion and cobalt minerals used in energy storage, unlike burning oil, coal and gas which is single use an dhighly inefficient, meaning they waste energy.

    There are also multiple energy storage solutions on the market that don't use lithium-ion batteries as well as cobalt-free lithium-ion batteries. There are flow batteries, sodium-ion batteries, iron-air batteries, as well as pumped hydro, compressed air, thermal sand, CO2, flywheel and hydrogen energy storage solutions... to name a few.

    The pollution angle is an effective red-herring that overlooks the fundamental pollution problem with fossil fuel systems - climate heating methane and CO2.

Potential pilot

  • A: No. We’re mobilising interest in our community. There is a possibility that 2515 could be the site of a pilot. We are working to demonstrate that we have enough households in a concentrated area ready to make the transition to electrification.

  • A: We are applying for funding to government bodies in order to test an electrification pilot. We need to show that there is a compelling number of households connected to our local grid willing to do so. 500 households is the minimum number required to be considered and to prove the technical viability of concentrated electrification.

  • A: Electrify 2515, together with Rewiring Australia, is campaigning for funding from government agencies such as the Australian Renewable Energy Agency and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, state governments, and industry such as vehicle companies and appliance manufacturers. None of this is secured. We will also be utilising existing government subsidies.

  • A: We are applying for funding through government bodies and hope to receive funding to offer some subsidies and benefits to participants. Items would not be provided for free, so you should expect to pay something. We do not know the outcome of our funding application so what you would have to pay is unconfirmed.

    Appliances and Home Battery:
    As part of the proposed program, you would be offered the electric home appliances you need - induction cooktop, split system air conditioner and heat pump hot water heater at a reduced rate.The amount of subsidy is unconfirmed and what you buy is optional.

    Rooftop Solar:
    Rooftop Solar already receives decent government subsidies so would not be part of a subsidised pilot. However as solar is so important, we are organising a community rollout where we have partnered with trusted providers and who are offering a 10% discount.

  • A: The pilot needs a concentration of households around the same grid transmission lines, so the program will be concentrated in local areas. Our priority as 2515 locals is to mobilise our own community in the 2515 postcode. It’s possible the program could extend to nearby suburbs as well.

    We plan to be able to support households nearby in the electrification process (eg.access to bulk buys of appliances) so register your interest and we will keep you informed.

    Electrification is going to happen all over Australia eventually - and we want every community to do it too! Head to our ‘Not in 2515?’ page to learn more about kicking off your own local Electrify group.

  • We won’t be forcing anyone to switch to any appliances they don’t want. However, there may be a minimum requirement that one must meet in order to participate. This has not yet been determined.

  • A: About 2 years

  • Data will be collected through a smart meter that would be installed on your fuse box. Your data will be protected by Rewiring Australia.

  • A: Yes. All household types are an important part of the project. The project would look slightly different for these groups, compared with owner-occupier dwellings, but please register your interest to find out more.

  • A: Hopefully. Again, the project will look different for residential participants but businesses and other buildings are essential to the project so please register your interest to find out more.

  • A: Originally we were hoping to offer EVs on a leasing arrangement as part of the project. Our current application with ARENA won’t allow us now to include EVs. We are still applying for other sources of funding which might help with this, but either way, we will be organising projects such as EV bulk buys and novated leases to support community members invest in their own EV.

  • A: It’s true that 2515 has a lot of shade. Overall it means we have about 20% less solar than average NSW suburbs, yet it’s believed that the economics of the program still stack up. It's likely that we could power about half of the postcode by sharing power generated from the rooftops of small business, commercial buildings and private homes.

    Running a pilot in an area that is not perfect for solar helps us understand what some of the issues might be and then include these learnings in the planning of future electrified communities.

  • A: Rewiring Australia is applying for funding in 2022 and 2023 and we expect to find out toward the end of third quarter of 2023 (eg. August) if we will receive the funding and if successful we hope to begin trial rollouts at the end of 2023 with full rollout happening at the beginning of 2024.

    If we don’t receive funding, we still intend to organise bulk buys and installations of electric appliances to ensure we can still move forward on the path to electrification. Our community solar rollout launched in May 2023 and we are planning an electric transport push in third quarter of 2023.

  • A: Firstly, tell your friends, family and neighbours in 2515 to complete it too! We need at least 500 households to express interest (expressing interest is not a commitment). Once we get an idea of the level of interest and electrification of people’s homes, we will work with the funders and stakeholders to gain a firm proposal of the project. We will be in touch via email with progress updates and to clarify the details.