Energy Transition

Hot tip: Cut costs with the thermal battery already in your home

In April, Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen announced a ‘bill busting’ election promise – to roll out a $2.3 billion program to cut home battery costs by 30 per cent and bring down power bills by up to $1100 a year for those...

Genevieve Swart

April 2025

Energy Transition

Electrify 2515 Pilot welcomes apartment dwellers

By Electrify 2515’s Elsa Evers Catherine is an 84-year old retiree who lives in Thirroul with her husband, Reg. They are the first apartment owners to take part in the Electrify 2515 Community Pilot and recently had a new induction cooktop...

Elsa Evers

April 2025

News

‘Let me fight for you,’ says Responsible Future volunteer turned Liberal candidate Amanda Ivaneza

Responsible Future volunteer turned Liberal Party candidate for Cunningham Amanda Ivaneza tonight urged a crowd of about 220 people at Warilla Bowls Club to “fight for the Illawarra”.

Genevieve Swart

April 2025

Analysis

What will be the Illawarra’s Energy Future? This election could decide

Last week, the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, announced a pause to the Illawarra offshore wind proposal, following a mutual agreement between the government and the sole developer who applied for a feasibility license. The reason? Uncertainty over the upcoming federal election, with the opposition pledging to scrap the plan if elected.

The Illawarra Flame

March 2025

News

Big Switch: Electrify movement expands all over the Illawarra

I grew up in small gold- and diamond-mining towns in South Africa. My father sometimes took us on weekend hikes, while my mother enjoyed a rare moment of peace. As one of five children from a mixed English-Afrikaans family, these simple adventures...

Denise Aubourg

March 2025

Motoring & Property

Diary of an EV Driver: Charging Away Simplified

Part 12 in Peter Aubourg’s column, Diary of an EV Driver It turns out that it is quite a social affair at the charging stations, with people sharing their experiences, and generally helping each other. On the subject of planning the trip, another...

Peter Aubourg

March 2025

Energy Transition

Thirroul couple electrify old cottage as part of 2515 Community Pilot

Tosca, Billy and Chip (1) recently moved into a new home in Thirroul. They’re eager to upgrade their cottage’s old gas appliances with solar and electric ones, so they were chuffed to be selected as one of the first 60 participants in the...

Elsa Evers

March 2025

News

Deep dive: How oil rig rehab is inspiring ‘nature positive’ wind farm design

It’s early days but new research – ironically coming out of the oil and gas sector – has given scientists hope that offshore wind structures could boost biodiversity by becoming artificial reefs, home to sponges, crustaceans, molluscs and...

Genevieve Swart

February 2025

Energy Transition

Sun’s up, wind stalls: Politicians share their views

The solar energy transition continues to gather pace in the Illawarra, with Endeavour Energy recently cutting the ribbon on new community batteries in Warrawong and Dapto.

Genevieve Swart

March 2025

Energy Transition

Early adopters: Don and Christina’s electrification journey

Thirroul residents, Don and Christina, were among the first ten households to join the Electrify 2515 Community Pilot—a program designed to help homeowners reduce energy use and electricity bills. Having already made significant efforts to upgrade...

Elsa Evers

February 2025

Opinion

Community Energy Zones: Cheaper, more reliable power for all consumers

By Greg Knight, convenor of the Illawarra Branch of Renew At a presentation at the University of Wollongong on Thursday, February 19, I outlined how a Community Energy Zone (CEZ) could be implemented in the local area. A CEZ would function using...

Greg Knight

February 2025

News

2515’s ‘lighthouse project’ shines path for communities across the nation

Rewiring Australia co-founder Dr Saul Griffith has long described Electrify 2515 as a “lighthouse project”, even before it was awarded $5.4 million from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) last October. Now the local pilot to electrify 500 homes is set to shine a path for the nation. “It’s a big, big moment for us,” said Electrify 2515 Community Pilot operations manager John Buchelin

Genevieve Swart

February 2025

News

Diary of an EV Driver: Charging Away

We have had our MG4 for over a year now, and never charged it away from home. After all, we did buy it as our run-around car, not for road trips. A few of our friends were staying at Thredbo over Christmas (they are from the UK and like it cold for...

Peter Aubourg

February 2025

Energy Transition

Y2K + 25 = the year we went all-electric

Is it seriously 2025? Just to confirm my age, it’s blowing my mind that we are a quarter of a century into the millennium when Y2K feels like yesterday. The good news is, 2515 residents are sprinting towards the future by hosting Australia’s...

Elsa Evers

January 2025

News

Speaking to power

The University of Wollongong’s Ty Christopher has a cost-cutting clean energy message he says we should be “screaming from the rooftops”. It’s been lost as election-bound politicians debate our electricity mix decades into the future and the...

Genevieve Swart

December 2024

News

From volunteer to pilot manager: John Buchelin shares an electrifying journey

John Buchelin started out as an Electrify 2515 volunteer, letterboxing flyers on local streets with his daughter after soccer practice. Two years on, he’s the operations manager for the new community pilot, a partnership by non-profit Rewiring...

Genevieve Swart

December 2024

News

City celebrates rise of Green Gravity in Wollongong

Elon Musk’s Tesla home batteries beware – there’s a new, cheaper and more sustainable way of storing rooftop solar on the rise, and it’s made in Wollongong. “At Green Gravity, we are an energy storage developer and we’ve developed...

Genevieve Swart

December 2024

News

Electrify 2515 Community Pilot: Locals share their views

After 600 people packed into Anita’s Theatre for Electrify 2515’s Community Pilot launch on Sunday, November 10. After the offical speeches by Dr Saul Griffith, pilot leaders and an audience Q&A, local residents shared their thoughts. Courtney...

The Illawarra Flame

December 2024

Opinion

Electrify 2515: A postcard from the future

By Dr Saul Griffith, co-founder of Rewiring Australia We’re at a critical juncture in history. Global politics is wobbling. Leaders and global markets are trying to find their feet with the re-election of Donald Trump. Many commentators are...

Diary of an EV Driver: Watt about Horsepower

Like today, back in the 1780s there was a change in the way machines were being powered. Then it was from horse power to steam power, for driving pumps to take water out of mines. Young James Watt had trouble convincing industrialists that his steam...

Peter Aubourg

November 2024

News

New rock stars: Electrification gig plays to packed house at Anita’s

Sunday afternoon’s home electrification session at Anita’s Theatre was a hit, enjoying a turnout rock stars would envy at Thirroul’s live music venue. About 600 people attended yesterday’s launch of the Electrify 2515 Community Pilot, a two-year...

Genevieve Swart

November 2024

News

Good Neighbours become good friends

A retired coal miner and a young mum with a background in the creative arts have cemented an unlikely friendship after starring in an episode of Good Neighbours, hosted by Ryan Moloney (aka ‘Toadie’ in Neighbours). Wollongong locals Darryl Best...

Genevieve Swart

November 2024