Environment Victoria
To help you save energy at home, we’ve put together this handy list of small, medium and large upgrades you can make to your home.Going all-electric is better for the environment, your health and your hip pocket, but the upfront costs of upgrading gas appliances can be prohibitive for many households. The good news is there are plenty of easy and low-cost options that can help anyone reduce their methane gas consumption, and a range of government rebates to support Victorians to electrify.
Take advantage of the rebates available
In Victoria there are a range of government rebates than can assist households with the cost of switching to efficient electric appliances.
Through the government’s Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) program, households can apply for rebates worth up to $3600 to install efficient electric appliances including reverse cycle air conditioners, heat pump hot water systems, efficient lighting and more.
In December 2023 the Allan government announced the expansion of their VEU program to support families to upgrade to efficient electric induction cooktops over 2024.
Click here for more information about the Victorian Energy Upgrades program and a list of available rebates.
Plan ahead
You don’t have to do it all at once! Switching out old gas appliances can be part of your long-term planning. By doing your research before an appliance gives out, you’ll be ready to upgrade to a modern, efficient electric option.
‘Renew’ has some fantastic practical resources to help households replace gas with efficient electric appliances in their Getting Off Gas Toolkit.
The ‘My Efficient Electric Home’ group on Facebook is also a great place to get tips and answers for any questions you have.
Try a portable induction cooktop
Induction cooking is nothing like the old electric cookers you might be used to. Induction uses magnets to create heat so they’re faster and more responsive than gas appliances. Induction also provides a more even heating surface for those perfect pancakes, and they do it all without filling your home with toxic nasties like carbon monoxide and benzene!
So a portable plug-in induction cooktop can be an easy winner. They come in one and two hob versions, are relatively lightweight, and run on your existing home power point. They’re also affordable, with many good options costing between $49 and $100.
With this simple plug-and-play appliance you might soon find yourself ditching gas cooking for good! Just be sure to check that your pots and pans will work by testing them with a magnet. If the magnet sticks then you’re good to go.
Check out the CHOICE guide to buying a portable induction cooktop here.
Use your existing reverse-cycle AC for space heating
Gas heating is now about the most expensive and polluting way to heat a home. Reverse cycle air conditioners are now much cheaper – and better for our climate too.
However analysis has shown that there might be as many as 1 Million households in Australia which own reverse cycle air-conditioners but don’t use them for space heating. If you are one of them, then switching on your reverse-cycle AC instead of the gas heater is a simple and easy way to keep cosy and reduce your gas bill.
Improve your efficiency
You can reduce your consumption of gas without changing any of your appliances simply by being smarter about how and when you use them. Simple DIY home insulation tricks can dramatically reduce your heating bills.
How to save energy at home