Solar Citizens welcomes City of Sydney council's decision that all new residential buildings must be all-electric with no gas appliances from the start of next year, as well as plans to introduce similar policies for commercial buildings from 2027. This policy will save future residents thousands of dollars in energy bills and help to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Solar Citizens CEO Heidi Lee Douglas said:
"The City of Sydney has now joined the ranks of a growing movement of NSW councils that have implemented mandatory building electrification policies within their Development Control Plans, including the City of Parramatta, Lane Cove Council, City of Newcastle and Waverley Council.
"The case is crystal clear: the households with the cheapest energy and fuel bills are the homes with solar on the roof, a battery behind the meter, an electric vehicle on the driveway, and efficient all-electric appliances.
"As we progress towards an electricity grid powered by renewables, household electrification is an essential part of the clean energy transition.
"While the electricity grid is on a path to 82% renewable energy, the gas network might only reach 10% renewable, and will only get more expensive.
"Electric appliances can be powered by cheap, clean rooftop solar - whereas gas appliances lock residents into polluting, unsafe and increasingly expensive fossil fuels.
“Solar Citizens has repeatedly asked the NSW Government for clean energy mandates for new homes and apartments, including mandatory rooftop solar backed by storage, electric vehicle charging, and efficient, all-electric appliances, however no action has been taken by the state government to ensure that these new homes will deliver on clean energy and transport.
"Many Australians are already opting to electrify their homes, but apartment residents wishing to do the same face barriers that prohibit consumer choice. Compared to standalone homes, electrification retrofits in multi-dwelling strata buildings are typically more challenging and therefore more costly, and so building new homes and apartments without gas is what is required to avoid these challenges later down the track.
“The Minns Government is determined to build more high-density housing - with 60,000 new apartments due to be approved before November 2027 under the Transport Oriented Development Program - yet has failed to consider how future residents will be able to access clean energy with reduced energy bills.
"The NSW Net Zero Commission 2024 Annual Report identifies that the built environment sector is “currently not on a clear emissions reduction trajectory” despite the technologies required for emissions abatement in this sector being commercially available.
"Solar Citizens is looking forward to hearing more about any initial progress made on the NSW Government's Gas Decarbonisation Roadmap, with this work due to commence in 2026.
"We are hopeful that the NSW Gas Decarbonisation Roadmap, led by Energy and Climate Change Minister Penny Sharpe, will deliver on the policies required to get existing homes off gas in an affordable and equitable way. However without action from the Planning Minister to ensure new homes are built without a gas connection, Sharpe will have a bigger job on her hands.
"On one hand, the NSW Government has committed to start getting homes and businesses off gas from 2026 under their Gas Decarbonisation Roadmap, whereas on the other they are refusing to take any action to prevent new homes being built with inefficient, expensive gas appliances.
"Quite rightly, NSW councils are taking matters into their own hands to ensure the provision of healthy, energy-efficient and future-proof homes that are affordable to heat, cool and cook in."
Photo by Ari Dinar, Unsplash