Switching to all-electric homes: a cost shock that could increase CO2 emissions

Gas Energy Australia has cautioned New South Wales homeowners that making the switch to all-electric homes could be an “expensive and ultimately a pointless plunge”.

New modelling by Frontier Economics has revealed that CO2 emissions and costs could actually be higher from electrical appliances than existing gas appliances.

“The assumption that electrical appliances are always cheaper and lower-emitting than gas is demonstrably wrong,” Gas Energy Australia CEO Brett Heffernan commented.

The modelling compares LPG and gas appliances used in more than half a million NSW homes with high-efficiency and lower-efficiency electrical appliances.

“In fact, even the most efficient electrical appliances will yield only a very small CO2 reduction, while setting homeowners back almost $12,000 in appliance and related costs alone,” Mr Heffernan added.

Mr Heffernan said that by comparing existing LPG appliances with cheaper, lower-efficiency electrical appliances confirmed that switching to electricity would in fact increase emissions by a substantial 960 kilograms per year.

“… What is often hidden from consumers are the additional switching costs as all-electric homes require upgrading household power supply from phase one to phase three wiring,” he said.

“It would take more than 12 years for homeowners forking out for these electrical appliances to get a return on their investment, and all for a minuscule reduction in their CO2 output.”

“Depending on the size and nature of the premise, these costs can take total outlays to over $40,000 per dwelling,” Mr Heffernan mentioned.

Gas Energy Australia also highlighted that the expenses and hassle of switching to higher emitting and less reliable electricity would not go hand-in-hand with the transition targets set for net zero-emission BioLPG from 2025.