ELECTRIFY SOUTHSIDE Supporting Southside to electrify for a brighter future.
Electrify Southside is a community organisation that helps you discover how to electrify and use sustainable energy solutions for a cleaner, brighter future. Electrify Southside is an independant community-driven initiative dedicated to helping households, businesses, and local communities transition to an all-electric, fossil-fuel-free future. We are a collective of passionate volunteers from Port Phillip, Glen Eira, Bayside, and beyond; working together to empower Southside residents with the knowledge, tools, and support they need to electrify their homes and lives. Many of us are on the electrification pathway, and are happy to share what we’ve learnt.
Upcoming Events
EV MythBusters
EV, Hybrid, or Plug-in hybrid?
In Australia-which stacks up? You might be surprised. Hear from the experts and check out new cars.
Brought to you by Bayside Climate Crisis Action Group - BCCAG
WHEN: 23rd April 6-8.30pm
WHERE: Brighton Town Hall.
Cnr Wilson & Carpenter Sts. Brighton
Cars on display from 6pm.
Speakers from 7~8.30pm.
Energy efficiency and electrification for rental homes
Did you Know? .... New energy efficiency rules apply in rental homes from March 2027
Calling on Renters, real estate agents, rental providers! Find out more at this free community seminar.
When: 6.30-8.00pm, Wednesday 6 May
Where: St Kilda Library Community Room. 150 Carlisle Street, St Kilda
Join us to learn about:
your rights and responsibilities under the Residential Tenancies Amendment (Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards) Regulations 2025;
the challenges and opportunities presented by the new regulations;
how we can work together to improve the energy efficiency and electrification of rental homes in Victoria.
Free Registration details coming soon
Further reading about electrifying apartment buildings
1) Rooftop solar, batteries and EV charging advantage Australians who own houses. Apartment owners must not be left behind
Saman Gorji and Alireza Ganjovi for the Conversation
2) Apartment EV charging moves from theory to reality. Most EV owners charge at home. But what if you live in an apartment? Charlie Richardson, COO and co-founder of NOX Energy, helps to unpack a project that might finally offer an answer, and explore what it actually takes to make EV charging work at scale in apartments. From The Driven Podcast.
Sustainable Solutions for Southside
Draft Proofing Your Home
Draught proofing is finding and fixing draughts to make your home more comfortable and energy efficient.
Electric Vehicle Charging Initiatives
Promoting EV adoption through community incentives and EV charging opportunities
Energy Efficiency Assessments
Comprehensive assessments to optimize home energy use and improve environmental impact are a simple and effective way to plan changing your home. Check for assessors in your region and their costs.
Solar for Apartments - rebate scheme
An additional 5000 rebates of up to $2,800 per apartment (up to $140,000 per property) are available until 30 April 2026, or until all rebates are exhausted, whichever comes first.
Rebates are available for apartment buildings, strata townhouses and units under the control of an Owners Corporation and sharing a common property rooftop.
By adopting solar, an average household in a multi-unit development can save up to $500 a year on their energy bills.
The City of Port Phillip has some tips on working with your OC
Going All Electric - Rose's experience
Electrify Southside on Instagram:
Thinking about getting off gas but not sure where to start? Listen to "Going All-Electric: Rose’s Home Transition".
Many homes still rely on gas for cooking, heating and hot water. In this short story, Rose invites us into her home to share what it was really like to transition off gas and go fully electric — from switching to induction cooking, and heat pump hot water, upgrading her heating, to sealing drafts and improving comfort.
This isn’t about doing everything at once. It’s about taking practical steps, one decision at a time, and learning along the way. Rose’s experience shows that going all-electric can be achievable, comfortable, and deeply rewarding — for your home, your health, and the climate.
In these short videos, Rose shares her key learnings from transitioning her home to all-electric — what worked, what surprised her, and what she’d recommend to others considering the same journey. Her advice is simple and practical: start with one appliance, look into available rebates, and learn from people in your community who’ve already made the switch.
Listen to Rose's Experiences and advice
1) https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTv339OExEY/?igsh=dzBkanBmY2xhYm85
2) https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTy-qVqEqpL/?igsh=NHRldDdwbjJnbDM3
Follow Electrify Southside on Instagram!
Illuminate Southside Together
Join our mission to provide sustainable and affordable electricity to every home in Southside. Support us in lighting up communities and powering futures.
Connect With Us
Contact Electrify Southside in St Kilda for non-profit electrification initiatives.