Wired For Tomorrow: a vision for electrified precincts
We took up the challenge over a year ago to answer the question: what would it really take to make an all-electric precinct?
We titled this future-gazing project Wired for Tomorrow, which was funded by Yarra City Council. We thank all our partners, especially Brendan Lim of Little Sketches for the interactive website.
Our precinct, located on Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung land, spans one and a half kilometres of dense, urban habitat in North Fitzroy and Clifton Hill. With over 600 dwellings, 80 local businesses, and a mix of housing types, it reflects the wider Yarra community.
Once home to a polluting gasworks, the site is now being transformed into a sustainable urban village. Like all Australians, we share a vision for energy that is affordable, clean, and reliable for everyone.
Reaching an all-electric future powered by renewables requires more than upgrades to individual households—it’s about the connections between them. Precinct-scale thinking helps identify opportunities at the community level that often go overlooked, such as bi-directional EV charging, electrified public transport, e-mobility infrastructure with safe cycling lanes, neighbourhood batteries, and local energy-sharing arrangements.
Beyond energy benefits, all-electric precincts bring positive outcomes for public health, including reduced noise pollution, improved indoor and outdoor air quality, and greater resilience to heatwaves and grid outages.
- Explore Wired for Tomorrow
TRAINING | Neighbourhood Battery 2-day advanced course | Tuesday 18-Wednesday 19 February 2025 | registrations open
Previous participants have rated the course 9/10 for experience, engaging content and quality of presenters.
“The course exceeded my expectations. The knowledge sharing from YEF of their own experiences owning and operating a battery plus industry insights from completing a wide range of NB business cases is invaluable information that isn't otherwise accessible for many organisations." – Participant feedback
Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action and Yarra Energy Foundation are providing significant co-subsidies for general admission and non-profit tickets for Victorian attendees. All information about ticket prices and non-profit registration can be found at the link below.
REPORTING | Victoria’s leading energy backup systems
This week, the team visited two leading examples of energy backup systems in Monbulk and Healesville, developed through the Victorian Government’s Energy Resilience Solutions program.
At Monbulk RSL, the backup system transforms the venue into a vital community hub during outages, offering residents hot showers and somewhere to charge their devices.
Healesville High School’s new energy backup system supports school operations, reduces bills, and provides a space for the community during emergencies.
Both of these projects highlight the importance of energy resilience in tackling climate-driven events and outages.
- Insights and learnings from these initiatives be included in our Neighbourhood Batteries Training Course in February 2025.
- Read more about the backup systems
JOINING | Net Zero Leaders panel
YEF’s COO Tim Shue recently joined the Net Zero Leaders panel at Monash University, hosted by Climateworks Centre.
Speaking alongside Alison Read (Telstra) and Samuel Dawes (Carbon Market Institute), Tim shared insights on neighbourhood batteries and their role in the energy transition.
The panel highlighted key themes, including the importance of collaboration across sectors, the falling costs of cleantech, and the need for diverse expertise to achieve net zero. It was an inspiring session with engaged students and thought-provoking discussions on climate leadership.
- Follow YEF on LinkedIn
OFFERING | Our Services
You can find out more about the services that the Yarra Energy Foundation can offer on our website. These include:
- Feasibility studies
- Community Engagement
- Community battery strategies for local councils
- Consulting & advice
- Project management
- Solar & electrification programs
We have a small team of extremely passionate energy experts with decades of combined industry, governmental, business, and sustainability experience.
Yarra Energy Foundation acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung as the Traditional Owners of this country, pays tribute to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Yarra, and gives respect to the Elders past and present.