Dan Andrews Announces Gas Lockdown for New Homes
Free gas stove image, public domain kitchen CC0 photo.
The Dan Andrews Victorian Government has announced a lockdown on gas being connected to new Victorian homes, schools, hospitals and police stations from January 1 2024. Victorian Energy and Resources Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said that residential planning permits from 2024 will only allow electric connections to new homes and public buildings that have not reached the design stage. The gas lockdown will not apply to new commercial developments.
Minister D’Ambrosio claims that this new gas lockdown will save households up to $1,000 off their annual energy bills while reducing household emissions to reach Victoria’s net zero emissions target by 2045. “We know that with every bill that arrives, gas is only going to get more expensive. That’s why we’re stepping in to help even more Victorians get the best deal on their energy bills”.
The Victorian Government is also spending another $10 million for a new Residential Electrification Grants program available to home builders, developers and others to provide bulk rebates for solar panels, solar hot water and heat pumps to new home buyers and another $1m in targeted training to support the construction industry in the new gas lockdown.