<
https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au/cowardly-decision-victorian-labor-flinches-on-fossil-exit-says-gas-cooktops-can-stay/>
"A ban on new gas cooktops is off the table in Victoria, with the state
government backing away from the introduction of across-the-board restrictions
on all new gas appliances in the state’s homes.
The Gas Substitution Roadmap bans gas from new homes in the state and is aiming
to phase it out of existing homes by requiring households to replace old gas
appliances with efficient electric alternatives – albeit with the help of
rebates.
But today the state government confirmed that gas cooktops won’t be part of
that equation, either in residential or commercial kitchens.
“I’m going to be really clear today … that Victorians can continue to keep
cooking with gas,” state premier Jacinta Allen told reporters on Monday.
“This is important because we’ve listened to Victorians and they’ve asked for
this certainty to be provided, and we’re providing that today.
“It also gives us the opportunity to have conversation with the Victorian
community about our future energy mix and our future energy needs.”
At the same time, the government is introducing legislation to turn old
offshore gas reservoirs into storage sites, allowing new gas to be kept as a
security measure in underground locations still connected to the state’s gas
network.
Victoria announced its shift away from gas in July last year, when the
then-Daniel Andrews government banned gas connections to new homes and
businesses from 1 January 2024.
It supported the move with a $10 million Residential Electrification Grants
fund to help volume home builders and others to instead install solar panels,
electric hot water systems and heat pumps.
Also in the kitty was $1 million for construction industry training in addition
to Solar Victoria’s $11 million upskilling program for plumbers and
electricians.
Getting off gas is a move with plenty of upside for Victoria, the state for
which the Australian Energy Market Operator is forecasting structural gas
shortages by 2028 and warned in June of snap shortages during a cold snap.
Last year, an Environment Victoria report found that households in the state
could expect to pay around $716 on gas heating during June, July and August.
Efficient electric heaters, such as heat pumps, slashed that to $169 – a 75 per
cent reduction."
Talk radio have been hammering the idea that cooking with gas is somehow better
and the nasty lefty government is taking that away from everyone, and
apparently that’s been effective industry propaganda.
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
