KICKING | Off the Melbourne Community Electrification Roadshow
The Melbourne Community Electrification Roadshow is off to a strong start, with two wonderful events hosted by our partners Healsville CoRe and Bayside Climate Crisis Action Group.
These events are exploring the benefits of home electrification and helping households access Victorian government rebates and incentives.
There are many more events planned across metro Melbourne in the coming months, in partnership with community groups and local councils. Visit our website to see the full list of upcoming events.
This project is supported by the Community Electrification Engagement Program. The Program is delivered by Sustainability Victoria on behalf of the Victoria Government.
ANNOUNCING | Community battery credit offer for Torquay residents
Yarra Energy Foundation is working to deliver a neighbourhood battery in Torquay. The battery will capture excess solar energy during the day and release it when demand on the grid is high, such as in the evening. This helps reduce pressure on the electricity grid and supports more households to install rooftop solar.
- Learn more about the Torquay Community Battery.
Community batteries can generate revenue by providing services to the electricity grid. As an independent not-for-profit, YEF is committed to returning benefits to the Torquay community. For this project, this will be done through a Community Battery Credit Offer from our project partner, Diamond Energy.
The offer is an annual $240/annum credit to eligible Diamond Energy customers for up to ten years, noting that the offer will be available to a limited number of households, with priority given to concession card holders.
Please note: this offer is only available to Torquay residents
- Express your interest in the offer by completing this survey
REPORTING | Over 300 home energy upgrades in Hume!
This month marks one year of the award-winning Hume Home Energy Upgrades Program, delivered in partnership with Hume City Council.
Since launching, the program has supported more than 300 energy upgrades across 200 households, with over 175 of these upgrades backed by Council’s concession rebates. These upgrades are helping residents cut bills, lower emissions, and stay comfortable year-round.
Together, the Hume community has:
- Invested $1.127 million in energy improvements
- Abated an estimated 10,000 tonnes of CO₂-e over the lifetime of installed systems (excluding insulation)
- Delivered average savings of $1,474 per year for concession households through full home electrification
None of this would be possible without the dedicated staff at Hume City Council and our trusted delivery partners, All Electric Homes and Enviroflex.
Congratulations to everyone involved – we can’t wait to see what the next 12 months will bring.
WELCOMING | Raven!
Please join us in welcoming Raven to the YEF team! Raven is a Project Officer who will be supporting YEF's work across our community battery projects and electrification programs.
Raven has a broad background in climate action, spanning advocacy, campaigning, funding, and community development. Having recently moved to Melbourne from Aotearoa New Zealand, Raven brings several years' experience working in local government climate change response, including leading the establishment of Wellington City Council's climate and sustainability funding program. Raven is passionate about enabling equitable, community-led solutions to the climate crisis, and the transformative potential of our energy transition for the wellbeing of people and the planet.
We are so happy to have Raven on board!
ATTENDING | Victorian Greenhouse Alliance conference
Earlier this month, members of the Yarra Energy Foundation team joined peers from across the state at the annual Victorian Greenhouse Alliances (VGA) Conference, the largest local government climate conference in Australia.
The event brought together council leaders, officers, and climate practitioners to share knowledge and explore opportunities for collaboration across key climate priorities. Sessions spanned a wide range of topics, from getting off gas and accelerating electrification, to embedding climate into local planning and addressing the costs of adaptation.
It was a valuable opportunity to connect with others working across the sector and to learn from the many innovative and impactful projects underway in councils and communities across Victoria.
SHARING | Our Services
Find out more about the services that Yarra Energy Foundation offers including:
- Feasibility studies
- Community Engagement
- Community battery strategies for local councils
- Consulting & advice
- Project management
- Solar & electrification programs
We are a small team of extremely passionate energy experts with decades of combined industry, governmental, business, and sustainability experience.
MORE:
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.