Merrily Hunter | Energy efficiency benefits us all and must be incentivised by governments

We were also a family that scraped by - takeaway dinners were just for special occasions, we cut out the discount coupons from every shopping docket, and counted in our heads the grocery bill tally as we put things in the basket.

Even the most incremental increase to our basic cost of living had a big impact.

Cost-of-living increases are the difference between having a full fridge every week or every other week.

As Australian Parents for Climate Action found from a survey released this week, a lot of families are struggling to make ends meet at the moment, facing the combined pressures of rising mortgages, rising rents, rising fuel costs, insurance and now hikes in energy prices.

Many people are taking on debt just to cover the essentials, let alone have any discretionary spending.

But the good news is there are simple measures governments can take to help households with the basic costs of living while also helping them reduce their environmental footprint. For example, upgrading household appliances is a no-brainer, and a critical step we need to take to adapt our homes to the new climate and energy market.

As we reduce our reliance on fossil fuels including gas, and more renewable energy sources such as solar and wind come onto the grid, off- and on-peak power times will shift, with daytime power becoming cheapest.

We need to future-proof our communities by adapting our household appliances and storage options, This would provide certainty and stability for future energy prices.

Every winter we see customers buying cheap electric heaters to stay warm. These inefficient appliances provide instant warmth, but leave a rough heating bill hangover.

And relying on these appliances disproportionately affects renters and vulnerable householders who have less available cash or authority to invest in more efficient appliances.

We have seen the positive impact state rebates and incentives provide to households in reducing the barrier to upgrade their appliances to more energy-efficient models. State initiatives such as the SA government's Retailer Energy Productivity Scheme (REPS) help householders access highly efficient appliances they might not otherwise be able to afford.

Air conditioners, hot water systems and lighting together make up about 70 per cent of a household energy bill, and with some changes or using state rebate schemes, families can save a huge amount every year.

Switching lights to LED technology can save about 80 per cent of their running cost; switching hot water systems from gas to electric heat pumps with a rebate in SA can help save more than $400 per year; and running an efficient split-system air conditioning unit can cost half the price of an electric panel heater.

The impact for householders means they are no longer reliant on energy-guzzling appliances to stay warm or cool during the season changes, nor do they have to purchase cheap appliances that routinely fail and need replacement.

And as for electric vehicles, if there were subsidies that allowed householders to retire their petrol-guzzling cars that currently cost them roughly 40 cents per kilometre to run, allowing them to get an EV that can be charged from solar panels at home, they could drive around for just 1 cent per kilometre.

People are saving money without sacrificing their health or comfort levels - this is empowering and would have broader implications on improving mental health and wellbeing, reducing needs for medical services (due to seasonal illness) as well as encouraging employment for the trades sector.

There are similar schemes in SA, NSW, Victoria and the ACT, but there's more to be done to harmonise these initiatives. They need to be rolled out nationally, and barriers for renters must be reduced so they can also take meaningful action in their homes.

I have worked in energy efficiency for more than a decade, and each year have had a focus on delivering a portion of those measures for residential households experiencing financial hardship.

The stories I have heard over the years are similar in tone: families are aware of the need to take action on energy efficiency, whether that relates to environmental outcomes or direct financial savings, but they lack the knowledge or financial means to be able to take the next steps.

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Financial support by incentives, rebates, discounts and no-interest loans, removes that barrier to uptake. The householder can take action on upgrading appliances because they are now at cost parity with the cheaper (inefficient options) available on the market.

This in turn creates immediate financial savings in running costs for the home and reduces emissions, but it also creates employment opportunities and puts money back into the economy.

I know if my parents had access to similar rebates, incentives and no-interest loans when I was younger, it would have made a big difference to our household budget, leaving the fridge filled every week.