<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/gas-industry-cooks-up-a-culture-war-as-the-electrification-of-everything-gathers-pace/>
"Gas industry claims that electric cooktops are vastly more expensive and more
emissions intensive than cooking with gas have been called out as “potentially
misleading,” as fossil lobby groups continue their fight against the
electrification of everything in Australian households.
In a post to professional networking website LinkedIn published on Wednesday,
the Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG), which owns two of Victoria’s
three gas networks and several in other states, published a series of claims
about the cost and performance of electric cooktops.
The focus on cooktops come as the Labor government in Victoria, the state with
the highest number of households connected to the gas network, consults on
draft regulations to mandate the electrification of homes when existing gas
appliances reach their end of life.
A Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) has proposed considering end-of-life
replacements for gas space heating and hot water systems while also examining
the broader benefits of electrification for new residential dwellings and
commercial buildings.
Gas cooktops, however – to the gas industry’s great relief – are currently
exempted from the state government’s phaseout plan, based on feedback from
households concerned about the cost of electrifying cooking.
Still, the Allen government continues to urge households to cut what it
describes as the “last appliance” tethering households to the gas network, and
is offering a $140 discount on the cost of swapping out gas for induction
electric through the Victorian Energy Upgrades scheme.
The AGIG post this week does not make statements directly about induction
cooktops, but makes repeated comparisons between gas cooktops and other
competing products such as mixed gas and induction cooktops, and old-style
electric coil and plate cooktops.
In one example, it cites the cost of a mixed gas and induction cooktop, a
niche, premium product that is not relevant to most households, saying: “The
mixed gas and induction cooktop is the most expensive to purchase and install,
with a price tag of about $5,499**”.
This claim is supported with a link to an online appliance retailer where a
search reveals pure induction cooktops retail for as low as $968. A search of
other websites shows models retailing as low as $749."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
