The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is backing a major household electrification trial targeting up to 1,000 homes across Canberra’s southern suburbs with AU$8.2 million in funding.
Led by clean energy service provider Electric Future, the project aims to simplify the transition from gas to electricity by establishing a digital platform that serves as a single point of contact for home upgrades.
The end-to-end service, dubbed Go Electric, will connect residents with advice, fixed-price quotes, vetted installers, scheduling, rebate processing, and ongoing technical support.
The pilot focuses on helping households adopt clean energy technologies, including electric heat pumps, rooftop solar, domestic batteries, and electric vehicle integration.
To build a comprehensive dataset for cold-climate electrification, the program will engage a broad demographic, encompassing owner-occupiers, renters, and lower-income households.
ARENA CEO Darren Miller said navigating product comparisons, installer matching, and rebate processes often presents a significant hurdle for consumers.
“For many households, the barrier to electrification is not just the technology,” Miller said.
“It can be knowing where to start, comparing products and quotes, finding trusted installers, navigating rebates and finance, managing upfront costs, and understanding which choices will deliver the best outcome for their home.”
Electric Future Managing Director Nathan Brown praised Canberra’s community advocacy, noting that grassroots groups such as Rewiring Australia and Electrify Canberra laid key groundwork over four years of public engagement.
“Canberrans are behind renewable energy, now we get to show what’s possible at the household level,” Brown said.
“This project will help prove that electrification doesn’t have to be complicated, expensive or out of reach.”
By streamlining customer access and installation workflows, the trial seeks to establish a scalable framework to make residential electrification more affordable and accessible across Australia.
