Couple electrify old cottage
Tosca, Billy and Chip (1) recently moved into a new home in Thirroul. They’re eager to upgrade their cottage’s old gas appliances with solar and electric ones, so they were chuffed to be selected as one of the first 60 participants in the Electrify 2515 Community Pilot.
1. What's your house like and how long have you lived there?
Tosca: We've only just moved into our new Thirroul house – we're still pinching ourselves, we love it. The house is bright and airy, with tree ferns and pink gum blossoms in the garden. The original house was built in 1909, but has been added to over the years. We're so happy to be back in the heart of our community: I was born in Wollongong Hospital, grew up in Austinmer, and went to Bulli High School – so we know the area well.
2. What was your main motivation for applying to be in the Electrify 2515 Community Pilot?
Tosca: Australia moving toward renewable energy is inevitable, and so electrification is the necessary step any time we need to update an appliance in our home. When we needed to get a new stove in our last house, we opted for induction for this reason. Billy is a big foodie and was sceptical about induction's ability to beat gas for cooking. He was happily wrong. In addition to the climate impacts, we were also motivated by cost and health. Cost, because we know by adding solar and electrifying, we can pay back those upfront costs over a number of years and then have low energy bills for the rest of our lives. The subsidy from Electrify 2515 means hopefully that will take even less time than originally anticipated. Health, because our toddler had some respiratory issues recently and we know gas appliances can increase the chances of asthma in kids. It was a no-brainer for us.
3. What are you upgrading as part of the program?
Billy: We're hoping to replace our gas hot water system, gas stove, and gas heating. We're hoping to add aircon, induction stove, electric heat pump, solar panels, and possibly a battery. We're still getting quotes so our final decision will depend on cost.
4. How has the process been so far?
Billy: Work, study, moving house, plus a toddler, means we're very time poor at the moment. The benefit for us so far – even though it's early days – has been the simplicity of the process. Applying only took a moment and once accepted, we got contacted by Electrify 2515's partner organisation, Brighte, who found us three installers based on our needs. In just days, installers came by to draw up quotes which we're now comparing.
5. Can you describe your family?
Billy: We are a family of three. Tosca moved back to 2515 after time in Sydney, London, and Melbourne. She is currently freelancing, working reforming whistleblower protections and other campaigns. I’m from Byron Bay. I’m retraining to become a high school teacher. I recently did my prac at Bulli High School and I’m hoping to work in the area. Chip is almost two years old and is full of beans. His passion currently resides somewhere between Japanese diesel electric trains and Mary Poppins.
6. What is your biggest indulgence (energy-wise)?
Tosca: Air-con – we love it. We like to have control over Chip's room temperature at night throughout the year and love having a cosy house in the winter. It's one of the reasons why we're so keen for solar panels and a battery, so we can keep being indulgent and not break the bank or world.
7. What are you most excited about having installed?
Tosca: We're most excited to get solar panels. Even though they're a big upfront expense, we hope to pay them off over the next few years by significantly reducing our energy bills. We'll make small energy-saving changes (like running the dishwasher in the day time) to pay them off even sooner. Once they're paid off, we'll be hoping to reduce those bills even more by selling our power back to the grid via our battery. We're also just keen to get gas out of the house ASAP before we try for another baby.
8. Anything else you want to add?
Tosca: My level of understanding of energy is minimal – I only found out this week that AC/DC was not just a band. So even if you know nothing like me, apply and explore how you can reduce bills into the future while also moving to sustainable sources of energy for your home. You're not locked in and you don't have to get everything – but you may as well find out what is possible.
This article was first published in the Illawarra Flame magazine.
