Renewables not Gas - Frequently asked questions
Gas has long been promoted as the clean alternative to electricity – by the gas industry. The truth is that methane is up to 84% more polluting to the climate than carbon dioxide created by coal power in the short term.
With gas notoriously leaking from production, through processing and transportation and at point of delivery it's a volatile fuel with a big impact on the climate. With renewables on the rise we now know that we can use clean electricity to replace almost everything we currently use gas to do. This is particularly true in households where the transition from gas for heating, cooking and hot water is quick, simple and much more efficient.
In our homes and businesses gas releases a chemical cocktail of airborne pollutants like formaldehyde and carbon monoxide which have been found to increase the prevalence of asthma in the community.
Gas production is also a dirty industry. Fracking pollutes farmland, the water table and the atmosphere and when things go wrong with drill rigs or pipelines the consequences are horrific, as the eye of fire in the Gulf of Mexico demonstrated all too clearly.
If we want a truly clean energy source to power our household and other needs, renewably powered alternatives like electric are the only way to go.
With gas notoriously leaking from production, through processing and transportation and at point of delivery it's a volatile fuel with a big impact on the climate. With renewables on the rise we now know that we can use clean electricity to replace almost everything we currently use gas to do. This is particularly true in households where the transition from gas for heating, cooking and hot water is quick, simple and much more efficient.
In our homes and businesses gas releases a chemical cocktail of airborne pollutants like formaldehyde and carbon monoxide which have been found to increase the prevalence of asthma in the community.
Gas production is also a dirty industry. Fracking pollutes farmland, the water table and the atmosphere and when things go wrong with drill rigs or pipelines the consequences are horrific, as the eye of fire in the Gulf of Mexico demonstrated all too clearly.
If we want a truly clean energy source to power our household and other needs, renewably powered alternatives like electric are the only way to go.
Councils have already shown that they have an important part to play in helping Australia drop polluting energy sources and switch to renewable electricity. Whether installing microgrids, phasing gas out of Council infrastructure or banning new gas connections from the transmission network, the littlest tier of government can make a big difference within their own municipality – and can add to the pressure on State and Federal Governments to support the move to clean energy.
Old electric element stoves are inefficient and slow to respond to adjustment, so gas has been the preferred cooking source for its sensitivity and instant responsiveness. But technology has come a long way in updating our cooktops and now with options like ceramic cooktops and induction stoves we have better electric cooking than ever before. An induction cooktop uses very little electricity to boil water in half the time of a gas stove and instantly adjusts temperature as you turn the dial.
As for BBQs there are some fantastic electric options but even if we cut back our gas use to simply power the barbies of Australia our gas demand would be so low as to barely exist. So don't worry, you can have your steak and eat it too!
As for BBQs there are some fantastic electric options but even if we cut back our gas use to simply power the barbies of Australia our gas demand would be so low as to barely exist. So don't worry, you can have your steak and eat it too!
Nobody is suggesting that we throw out all of our gas appliances at the same time – but at the end of their useful life replacing your home appliances with renewably powered electric makes economic and environmental sense.
In some states, like Victoria, there are energy upgrade schemes where the state government provides rebates for replacement electric appliances such as hot water and heating/cooling as well as solar installation schemes to help cover the cost of switching to solar. If your state government doesn't offer a program helping you to transition to clean powered appliances, part of the aim of this campaign is to encourage them to adopt these ideas to help you make the switch!
In some states, like Victoria, there are energy upgrade schemes where the state government provides rebates for replacement electric appliances such as hot water and heating/cooling as well as solar installation schemes to help cover the cost of switching to solar. If your state government doesn't offer a program helping you to transition to clean powered appliances, part of the aim of this campaign is to encourage them to adopt these ideas to help you make the switch!
We're starting to see state government schemes targeting landlords to switch to renewable electric. This program by the Victorian government creates incentives for landlords to equip rentals with efficient reverse-cycle air conditioners that take comparatively little energy to cool houses in summer and heat them in winter.
But state governments can do so much more and that's why we're asking you to urge your Council to take decisive steps to remove gas from the energy mix and pressure their State Government to support this through carefully targeted incentive schemes.
But state governments can do so much more and that's why we're asking you to urge your Council to take decisive steps to remove gas from the energy mix and pressure their State Government to support this through carefully targeted incentive schemes.