Household electrification essential to new climate policy

Advocacy group Rewiring Australia has made several recommendations in relation to recent NSW Government legislation of emissions reduction targets of 50% by 2030 and net zero by 2050.

“This legislative commitment by the NSW Government marks a solid step forward in our collective fight against global heating,” said Dan Cass, Rewiring Australia’s Executive Director.

“To truly pivot towards a sustainable future, household electrification must be central to this strategy. Electrification is the rapid, cost-effective and proven path to significantly cut emissions while permanently slashing energy bills.”

Part of the NSW Government’s climate legislation involves the establishment of a Net Zero Commission made up of a panel of experts (yet to be announced) who would advise government on how to move towards net zero effectively.

Cass said it was critically important that the panel members have experience and knowledge of clean energy, investment, technology innovation and public policy. Reserve bank-style independence was also necessary to ensure honest feedback and a focus beyond the electoral cycle.

Also, a live dashboard outlining the pipeline and progress of renewable energy projects should be established for the new commission, Cass said. This would include metrics for the amount of money invested at a household and industry level, and the number of fully electrified homes with solar panels. It would also chart the carbon abated as well as the process delivering regulatory reform and workforce development.

“The commission should provide independent expertise and steady long-term vision to critique government policies beyond the limitations of the electoral cycle. It’s crucial that it includes comprehensive plans for household electrification and that it is wholly independent,” Cass said.

“The energy market we have right now was designed for heavily polluting coal and gas. The commission must drive a new framework that empowers households and businesses and industry to generate, store and share clean electricity,” he continued.

Cass also advocated for enhanced investment in community-level infrastructure such as batteries, EV chargers and network upgrades. Warning against expansion of the coal and gas industry, he said a credible independent commission must include in its reporting all the emissions that NSW enables through its exports and Scope 3 emissions.

Image credit: iStock.com/MAXSHOT