AusNet has awarded Mycelia Renewables a $ 30,000 ‘Helping Our Mission for Equity (HOME) Grant’ to fund a pilot research project aimed at improving energy-efficiency upgrades and electrification outcomes for renters.
The research will be undertaken in San Remo and Wonthaggi in Bass Coast Shire, and in Korumburra and Foster in the South Gippsland Shire.
AusNet Executive General Manager Compliance, Risk & Corporate Affairs, Amanda Robertson, said the project will help identify the factors that help and hinder renters, rental providers and property managers from installing upgrades such as solar panels, batteries, energy efficient improvements and electrification.
“Rental households risk missing out on the benefits of the energy transition including lower bills, greater comfort and reduced emissions,” said Ms Robertson.
“This research will help us better understand what renters and the people who make decisions about rental properties actually need.”
Renters are often excluded from decisions about upgrades to their homes, despite living with the outcomes of those decisions. At the same time, rental providers are under increasing compliance pressure but may lack clear guidance and confidence to take proactive steps. Property managers also play a pivotal role in influencing these decisions and can benefit from practical tools to help navigate the energy-efficiency upgrade and electrification process.
AusNet has been undertaking complementary work through its Electri-Fair-cation initiative, which is focused on improving energy outcomes for households with vulnerability, providing valuable insights into barriers, enablers and practical delivery considerations in gas appliance replacement.
Ana Erceg, Grid Evolution Manager, AusNet Distribution, said the research provides an opportunity to connect those learnings with a specific focus on rental housing.
“Through the Electri-Fair-cation initiative, we’ve developed a strong understanding of the challenges households face in accessing electrification. This research will allow us to bring those broader learnings into a renter-focused context and strengthen the evidence base around what practical, equitable solutions could look like,” Ms Erceg said.
Mycelia Renewables will work closely with AusNet’s Research & Engagement team throughout the project, which will include stakeholder engagement and trialling practical approaches to support energy-efficiency upgrades and electrification in rental housing.
About the HOME Grant
The Helping Our Mission for Equity (HOME) Grant provides $30,000 each year to support projects or initiatives that improve outcomes for customers and communities on AusNet’s electricity network. The grant was formerly known as the Vulnerability Research Grant, with requirements and eligibility expanded as the program evolved.
For more information on this Grant, visit https://communityhub.ausnetservices.com.au/HOME-Grant.