Veronique goes electric with help from SEC home planner and endorsed installers
17 March 2025
When Veronique and her partner moved into their double-storey Brunswick townhouse in late 2024, they were keen to go electric as soon as possible to maximise the value of the upgrades.
Veronique’s motivation for switching to electric was two-fold.
“One big motivator was that we're worried about the environment and we want to reduce our carbon footprint.
“Our second motivator was with the increasing cost of living and energy bills going up, we want to take that into our own control.”
Veronique used SEC’s electric home planner to tailor a plan to go electric at a pace that suits her budget.
“The SEC home planner was really helpful to go through our options and work out the best approach for us. It was good to have a trusted list of suppliers recommended by the SEC.”
“The planner connected us to Specialized Solar who walked us through the process and tailored options to our own circumstances. We started with a quote for having everything upgraded at once. Then we rolled it backwards to what we felt comfortable spending at that given time.”
The first step for Veronique’s home was to install a heat pump hot water system to replace the gas unit.
Raymond Hughes from Specialized Solar explains this is often the easiest way to start the journey to all-electric.
“Heat pump hot water systems are simple to install and reduce energy bills by 20% to 30%, saving around $300 to $400 a year.”
Next Veronique installed a solar system and battery which will reduce her bills even more.
“The solar and battery allows Veronique to store energy from the sun to use when they need and push any excess energy out to the grid,” explains Raymond.
Veronique wanted to disconnect from gas as quickly as possible. With the house heated by split systems, the only remaining gas appliance was the stove top.
Upgrading to induction is planned down the track when budget allows, so as an interim solution, Veronique is running two portable induction cooktops.
This has allowed the house to be disconnected from gas and Veronique is looking forward to the savings.
“We don't need to pay that daily fee for gas. And with a heat pump, we're now able to harness our solar power during sunshine hours, and we can basically produce free hot water.”
Veronique is excited to be making these improvements to her home and encourages others to do the same.
“For anyone who is thinking about electrifying their home, just get started. Look at the home planner, get in contact with the supplier and see what they recommend.”
Veronique also has some great advice for people who may feel overwhelmed initially.
“Don't get too daunted if the full quote is a bit out of your budget. We felt the same way, and it was very easy for us to work backwards from the initial quote and see what we are able to do this year, and what we may be able to do in the following years.”
Please note that savings will vary based on individual circumstances.
