Australia’s electrification drive is set for a major test in New South Wales. 

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), alongside partners Brighte, Rewiring Australia, and Endeavour Energy, has launched the “Electrify 2515 Community Pilot”, a project to electrify 500 homes in NSW’s north Illawarra region. 

The project is backed by a $5.4 million grant from ARENA, designed to accelerate the shift to renewable energy in homes and provide insights on the nation’s electrified future.

ARENA CEO Darren Miller says the pilot aims to improve grid stability and lower energy costs for consumers. 

“Flexible demand at a residential level is expected to be critical as homes electrify,” he said.

“By undertaking electrification in a managed way, we can reduce the need to upgrade our electricity network and reduce costs for all electricity consumers.”

The pilot will facilitate the installation of efficient electric appliances and consumer energy resources (CER), including heat pump space and water heaters, home batteries, and rooftop solar, all managed by a home energy management system (HEMS). 

It will also study consumer behaviour and decision-making to better understand how to scale and commercialise residential electrification across Australia.

Katherine McConnell, Founder and CEO of Brighte, said the project aims to serve as a model for national electrification efforts. 

“This project will allow us to learn locally so we can scale nationally,” she said. 

The initiative will explore the impacts of electrification on both individual households and within the constraints of Endeavour Energy’s local grid.

The upfront cost of CER is a significant barrier to adoption, but ARENA's funding is set to help subsidise CER purchases for pilot participants. 

Rewiring Australia will lead the research component, aiming to gather data that could guide broader electrification strategies.

Brighte will lead project delivery and finance, Rewiring Australia will act as the research partner, and Endeavour Energy will serve as the network partner. 

The project aims to deliver both immediate community benefits and a scalable blueprint for residential electrification across Australia.

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