Residents in Ballan can now access the State Electricity Commission’s (SEC) digital tool to help them switch to an electric hot water heat pump, in a move to reduce energy bills.
Victorian Minister for SEC, Lily D’Ambrosio, launched the pilot, which allows residents to use the SEC’s electric home planner.
The Victorian Government said the free online planner walks users through a short survey about their home and energy usage and then tailors a plan to cut their energy bills by going electric. It also includes costs eligible government rebates, return on investment and emissions reductions, and suggests suitable appliances.
Eligible households could also receive a rebate of $1000 on their heat pump or solar hot water installation through the Solar Homes program and around $500 discount through the Victorian Energy Upgrades program.
Heating water accounts for around 20 percent of household energy use. The Victorian Government said that by upgrading to a heat pump, households can save up to $250 a year on their energy bill – or more if they have solar.
Ballan users can browse a range of hot water heat pumps to find the right product for their home and connect with an SEC-endorsed local installer via the planner, who can visit their home to provide a detailed quote and answer questions.
This pilot is part of the SEC’s work to build a trusted one-stop-shop that simplifies the process of going electric to reduce energy bills and emissions. The pilot has already launched in the City of Ballarat, Casey and Merri-bek with more than 6000 households using the planner in the first two months.
The Victorian Government said the SEC is helping Victorians learn more about their home energy use and improvements they can make on all budgets, from small, low-cost steps that can be taken immediately, to larger investments that can be made when their appliances reach end of life.
Ms D’Ambrosio said the SEC is building a one-stop-shop to make it easier for Victorians to get trusted information when looking to improve the energy performance of their homes and save on their energy bills.
“We’re helping busy families save on their energy bills – our rebate and discount programs have never been more popular and this pilot will help families in Ballan save on their installation costs as well as their energy bills.”
Victorian Member for Eureka, Michaela Settle, said, “Households are at the heart of the energy transition and the SEC is giving Ballan residents additional support to save on their energy bills and switch to electric hot water.”
To explore the SEC’s electric home planner visit, secvictoria.com.au/powerup.
