Australians have long been told natural gas is the cheapest and cleanest energy choice for their homes. And natural gas is still being rolled out to country towns all over the country. But as more of our electricity is generated from sustainable sources and the cost of installing solar panels continues to drop, is natural gas still the cheapest, most efficient and, importantly, most sustainable choice? Should you be making the switch?
Probably not.
A recent report by the Alternative Technology Association (ATA), Household Fuel Choice in the National Electricity Market found gas is no longer the cheapest option in the long term. In fact, new homeowners could be up to $18,000 better off over 10 years if they combine electric appliances with a 5kW solar system.
But even if you already own a home and have gas appliances, there could be a case for switching to all electric. To work out what's best for you, here's a handy table courtesy of the ATA's report:
The report recommends a number of changes to move to a more efficient and sustainable future including educating the public about the value of solar-based all-electric homes and reviewing the policies and programs that currently subsidise or support the expansion of gas networks.
With induction cooking, efficient electric space heating and heat pump hot water heaters, there's never been a better time to go all-electric. You can save a bunch of money and be a bit kinder on the environment in the process.
So folks, it's time to give up the gas.