Last updated: August 2026
Canberra is moving towards an increasingly electrified energy system. The ACT Government has set a goal of transitioning the city away from fossil-fuel gas and towards electrification by 2045, while helping households adopt efficient electric technologies. (Make your next choice electric)
For homeowners, this raises a practical question:
What does home electrification actually mean, and where should a Canberra household start?
Home electrification is more than replacing a gas appliance with an electric one. Done well, it means designing the home’s generation, storage, heating, hot water, cooking, transport and energy use as a connected system.
This guide explains the key technologies, available support and the questions Canberra homeowners should consider before making the switch.
Home electrification is the process of replacing household energy uses that rely on fossil fuels—particularly gas—with efficient electrical alternatives.
For a Canberra home, this can include:
The ACT Government describes electrification as part of Canberra’s transition away from fossil-fuel gas, with electricity increasingly powering heating, hot water, cooking and transport. (Make your next choice electric)
Generate electricity → use it efficiently → store surplus energy → electrify major household loads → manage when energy is consumed.
The ACT Government is preparing Canberra to transition away from fossil-fuel gas by 2045. It says fossil-fuel gas currently accounts for about 20% of the ACT’s carbon emissions and that the transition will involve moving homes and businesses towards electric technologies. (Make your next choice electric)
The ACT Government also says households can save money by switching to efficient electric appliances when existing gas appliances need replacing.
Its modelling indicates that households could save around $735 a year by switching to electric appliances, with potential savings increasing to around $960 for homes with solar PV. (climatechoices.act.gov.au)
This doesn’t mean every household should replace every appliance immediately.
For many homeowners, a planned, staged transition makes more financial sense.
There is no universal order that works for every Canberra home.
The best starting point depends on:
However, a practical electrification pathway can look like this:
Look at your electricity and gas bills before buying equipment.
Identify:
Before increasing generation, reduce unnecessary energy consumption.
Consider:
The ACT Government recommends energy-efficiency improvements alongside electrification because an efficient home requires less energy to heat and cool. (Make your next choice electric)
Solar can become the generation component of an electrified home.
Instead of buying all your electricity from the grid, rooftop solar allows the household to generate electricity during daylight hours.
The ACT Government reports that households with a 3 kW solar PV system have historically had average annual electricity bills around $400 lower than households without solar, although actual savings depend on system size, energy use, tariffs and other factors. (Make your next choice electric)
A battery allows excess solar generation to be stored and used later.
This can be particularly useful when household electricity demand occurs in the evening, after solar generation has fallen.
When gas appliances reach the end of their useful life, consider replacing them with efficient electric alternatives.
These can include:
An EV can become another major electrical load—and potentially another energy-storage asset.
Canberra’s energy strategy increasingly considers EVs as part of the broader electrification journey. Bidirectional charging can potentially allow compatible EVs to supply electricity to a home when required. (climatechoices.act.gov.au)
Solar is often the logical starting point because it can generate electricity locally.
But choosing a solar system should not be based solely on the maximum number of panels that can fit on a roof.
A good system design considers:
Current consumption + future electricity demand + roof characteristics + inverter capacity + battery plans + EV plans.
For example, a household planning to replace gas heating, install a heat-pump hot-water system and purchase an EV will have a very different future electricity profile from a household with no plans to electrify further.
“How many panels can I install?”
It is:
“How much electricity will my home need over the next 5–10 years?”
No.
Solar panels can operate without a battery.
Without storage:
Solar generation → household consumption → excess electricity exported to the grid
With a battery:
Solar generation → household consumption → excess electricity stored → stored energy used later
The ACT Government says batteries can help households use more of their own solar energy and reduce electricity purchased from the grid. Some systems can also provide backup power during an outage. (climatechoices.act.gov.au)
There is no single battery size that is right for every Canberra household.
Battery sizing should consider:
The ACT Government’s battery guidance also identifies household energy use, solar-system size and future upgrades as factors when choosing battery capacity. (climatechoices.act.gov.au)
A household that uses most of its electricity during the day may have less need for a large battery than a household whose largest electricity loads occur after sunset.
Similarly, a household planning to add an EV or electric hot-water system may want to consider those future loads before selecting battery capacity.
The biggest battery isn’t necessarily the best battery.
The right battery is the one that fits the household’s energy profile.
The Australian Government’s Cheaper Home Batteries Program provides support for eligible small-scale battery systems.
From 1 July 2025, the program began providing around a 30% discount on eligible small-scale battery systems connected to new or existing rooftop solar. The program is delivered through the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES). (Energy.gov.au)
The support is generally applied through participating solar and battery retailers and installers.
The rebate should not be the only reason to choose a battery.
Homeowners should also consider:
Government programs and eligibility requirements can change, so homeowners should confirm the current rules before signing a contract.
Canberra homeowners may have access to several forms of government support, depending on their circumstances and the product being installed.
The Sustainable Household Scheme provides eligible ACT residents with loans from $2,000 to $20,000, with up to 10 years to repay and a current low interest rate of 3%. Eligible products include batteries, electric heating and cooling, heat-pump hot water, electric cooking, EVs, EV charging infrastructure and insulation. (Energy.gov.au)
The ACT Government reported in March 2026 that more than 25,000 Sustainable Household Scheme loans had been settled and that the scheme had collectively helped Canberrans save $100 million on household bills. (ACT Government)
Eligible homeowners can receive rebates covering 50% of the cost of eligible products, subject to program limits.
The current program provides up to $2,500 for rooftop solar and up to another $2,500 for eligible energy-efficient upgrades including reverse-cycle heating and cooling, heat-pump hot water, electric cooking and ceiling insulation. (climatechoices.act.gov.au)
Eligibility includes holding an Australian Government Pensioner Concession Card, DVA Gold Card or Australian Government Health Care Card. (climatechoices.act.gov.au)
The ACT also has targeted support for eligible households that need assistance transitioning from gas to electric appliances.
The Access to Electric Program can fully fund electrification and energy-efficiency upgrades for eligible households, including replacement of gas heating, hot-water and cooking appliances. (climatechoices.act.gov.au)
Reverse-cycle air conditioning can provide both heating and cooling from one electrical system.
This can be particularly relevant in Canberra because households require significant heating during winter while also needing cooling during warmer months.
Heat-pump hot-water systems use electricity to move heat rather than generating heat directly in the same way as conventional electric resistance systems.
When combined with solar, a household can potentially use daytime solar generation to help power hot-water production.
Induction cooktops are an electric alternative to gas cooking.
For homeowners planning a staged transition, replacing a gas cooktop when it reaches the end of its useful life can be a practical step.
An EV increases household electricity demand, but it can also become part of a smarter energy system.
A simple EV setup looks like:
Solar → EV charging
A more advanced system could eventually look like:
Solar → Battery → Home → EV → Home
Bidirectional charging can allow a compatible EV to provide electricity to a home, although vehicle, charger and grid requirements apply.
The ACT Government notes that several bidirectional chargers are certified and approved for use in the ACT and that more models are expected to become available. (climatechoices.act.gov.au)
Not necessarily.
A staged approach can be more practical.
Consider:
Energy assessment → efficiency improvements → solar → battery → appliance electrification → EV
Consider:
Review solar performance → assess consumption → battery → electrify appliances → EV
Instead of automatically replacing it with another gas appliance, consider:
“Is this the right time to make the electric switch?”
This approach aligns with the ACT Government’s recommendation to make the next appliance choice electric when existing gas appliances need replacement. (climatechoices.act.gov.au)
The ACT Government’s stated goal is to transition away from fossil-fuel gas by 2045.
The government says parts of the gas network may begin shutting down from the mid-2030s onwards, with appropriate notice and planning. (Make your next choice electric)
This doesn’t mean Canberra households need to disconnect from gas immediately.
Instead, homeowners can plan around the natural replacement cycle of their appliances.
If a gas hot-water system needs replacing, for example, that may be an appropriate opportunity to consider a heat-pump system rather than installing another gas appliance.
The technology is only one part of the equation.
Homeowners should assess the installer as carefully as the equipment.
Check relevant industry and electrical credentials.
A good installer should be able to explain the design using your energy consumption.
Ask whether the system has been designed with future electrification in mind.
Do not assume every battery installation provides backup during a blackout.
Understand both equipment and installation warranties.
Good monitoring can help homeowners understand how much energy is being generated, consumed, stored and exported.
Ask about commissioning, support and troubleshooting.
At Polygon Energy, we believe Canberra homeowners should not have to think about solar, batteries, heating, hot water and EV charging as completely separate decisions.
The better question is:
Our approach starts with the household’s energy profile.
We look at:
The objective is to design an energy system that works for the household today while allowing it to evolve tomorrow.
Before speaking to an installer, homeowners can prepare by answering these questions:
Start by understanding your current electricity and gas consumption. From there, assess energy efficiency, solar generation, battery storage and future electrical loads. There is no single technology that should automatically be installed first.
It can be, particularly when efficient electric appliances are combined with solar and appropriate energy management. The financial outcome depends on the home’s energy consumption, equipment costs, tariffs and available government support.
No. However, batteries are particularly useful when paired with solar because they can store excess solar generation for later use. (Energy.gov.au)
There is no single price. Battery cost depends on capacity, technology, inverter configuration, installation requirements, backup capability and other factors. Government incentives may reduce the upfront cost for eligible systems.
In many cases, yes. Compatibility needs to be assessed, and some systems may require additional equipment or electrical work. (climatechoices.act.gov.au)
Some battery systems can provide backup power, but not every installation does. Homeowners should specifically ask whether backup is included and which circuits will remain powered. (climatechoices.act.gov.au)
Not necessarily. A practical approach is often to consider an electric replacement when an existing gas appliance reaches the end of its useful life. The ACT Government recommends this approach as part of Canberra’s transition away from gas. (climatechoices.act.gov.au)
Yes. EV charging is an additional electrical load and can become part of an integrated home energy system. With compatible technology, bidirectional charging may also allow an EV to supply energy back to the home. (climatechoices.act.gov.au)
Treating every technology as an isolated purchase.
A solar system, battery, heat pump, EV charger and electrical appliances should ideally be considered in the context of the home’s current and future energy demand.
transition to electrification is already underway.
For homeowners, the opportunity isn’t simply to replace gas appliances with electric ones. It is to create a home energy system where generation, storage and consumption work together.
Solar can generate electricity.
Batteries can store it.
Heat pumps can electrify heating and hot water.
EVs can become a new energy load—and potentially a future storage resource.
Smart monitoring can help homeowners understand when and where their electricity is being used.
The best system is therefore not necessarily the one with the most panels, the biggest battery or the newest appliance.
It is the system designed around how your household actually uses energy—and how that is likely to change over the next 5–10 years.
Talk to Polygon Energy about designing a solar, battery and electrification solution around your Canberra home.