Canberrans in the Tuggeranong suburb of Banks will be the first in Australia to trial a new digital tool that will make the switch from gas to electricity faster and cheaper.
Funded by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), the $8.2 million Go Electric digital tool aims to be "a one stop shop" for household electrification, which can shave $5000 a year from power bills through means such as installing rooftop solar panels and batteries.
The two-year trial will link up to 1000 households with available government rebates and subsidies that support energy upgrades for homes and then guide them through the installation process.
These also include upgrades to appliances, heating system and vehicle-to-grid systems, which allow compatible electric vehicles to send electricity back to the electrical grid when needed.
The scheme will be open to renters as well as owner-occupiers and low-income households.
Finance Minister and ACT Labor senator Katy Gallagher said the trial would provide valuable evidence on simplifying the electrification process and making it more affordable.
"Canberrans have been at the forefront of the transition to cleaner energy, and this investment builds on that progress," Senator Gallagher said.
ACT independent senator David Pocock, who advocated for the funding of the electrification trial, welcomed the announcement and encouraged local tradies and installers to register and get accredited to be involved in the program.
"We have to ensure everyone in our community is benefiting from household electrification - not just those who can afford it," Senator Pocock said.
"At a time of rising fuel costs pushing the price of everything up, this represents a huge opportunity."
Green energy start-up Electric Future will oversee Go Electric, which will be the first ARENA-funded household electrification program centred on a cold-climate neighbourhood.
Advocacy group Rewiring Australia says households could save up to $5000 a year by adding solar and battery storage, switching to electric vehicles and moving from gas to electric appliances.
Research also shows the financial windfall of the electrification movement could translate into billions in potential revenue for businesses.
The Australian Home Energy Report released earlier this month found seven in 10 households plan to invest in energy upgrades such as solar panels, efficient appliances, home battery storage, insulation and glazed windows over the next five years.
The average household expected to spend about $8300 on the improvements, the report found, or about $85 billion if that investment were replicated on a national scale.
"The question for most people is 'how?'" Electric Future managing director Nathan Brown said. "You're dealing with up to fourteen different trades and not everyone knows what government support is available."
Mr Brown said Go Electric would smooth the transition for households, giving residents individual plans about what to install to best slash power bills and then walk them through installing and operating the green energy tech effectively.
Go Electric will use Banks as its initial test case for how to more efficiently electrify large numbers of homes, before expanding to neighbouring suburbs including Bonython, Calwell, Conder, Gordon, Isabella Plains, Richardson and Theodore.
Go Electric stems from a volunteer community campaign Electrify Canberra, which coordinator Sarah Reid said had grown from a few locals watching a speech by Senator Pocock and green energy advocate Saul Griffith talking about electrifying entire suburbs.
"Our team of volunteers for the last four years have been running events and talking to people and letterboxing and door knocking and just so committed to making things better for the community," said Ms Reid.
"It really does feel like a remarkable win."
The ACT government plans to switch off its natural gas grid by 2045.
