The residential energy market is in a state of change. Advances in energy efficient appliances, falling battery storage prices and continued uptake of solar PV are providing householders with more control over the systems that they install and their ongoing cost of energy.

While there is common understanding of the environmental benefits of renewable energy, little research has been conducted to explore the reasons why people are (or aren’t) moving towards renewable energy systems – and more importantly how much they understand or care about where their power is coming from.

Are all of the decisions led by a financial incentive? Are the environmental factors still important in decision making? Or do householders just want to know that they have a reliable source of power?

The Ginninderry Energy Research Team have been exploring such questions and have today released their findings in their Householder Attitudes to Residential Renewable Energy Futures report launched at Green Cities 2017 Conference. The report combines existing research and survey data from a number of stakeholder and community workshops undertaken in Canberra through 2016.

The study primarily focused on three scenarios using Ginninderry as an example of a new large-scale residential development and explores householder attitudes towards:

• Solar PV and Battery Storage
• Microgrids (or embedded networks)
• A fully electric suburb

All scenarios highlight the importance of education in making informed decisions about energy systems with marked attitude changes occurring during workshops when presented with alternative energy solutions.

Speaking on behalf of South East Region of Renewable Energy Excellence (SERREE), Cluster Manager Craig Hanicek said the report serves as a “potent example of the power of collaboration between Industry, Government and the community to co-create a clean and secure renewable energy powered residential development.”

To download the report, head to the Reports Library

Jessica Stewart – Ginninderry Sustainability Manager