Households urged to dump energy companies with fossil fuel assets, install renewables

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The Lead the Charge campaign is focused on actions individuals can take today to reduce emissions, given the Federal Government has signalled that they won’t do any more to support the transition to renewables.

The Lead the Charge campaign urges households to pledge to:

–       STOP buying energy from companies that own fossil fuel assets in Australia

–       START taking action, by creating an energy efficient home and/or installing solar panels and a battery (if you can)

–       PAUSE  the politics around energy and supercharge the Home renewables Revolution.

Mr Frances Gilley said the transition to renewables won’t wait for politicians, demonstrated by the more than two million Australian households that have already installed solar panels.

The campaign is underpinned by a new white paper commissioned by DC Power Co, detailing the opportunity to build a ‘Big Aussie Battery’ by installing storage at some of Australia’s more than two million solar homes, which is predicted to reach four million by 2030. The paper finds that adding a battery to just 20 percent of existing solar homes could match the energy capacity of the proposed Snowy 2.0 hydro scheme, and be achieved in half the time.

“If you want more action on climate change and your energy company owns fossil fuels, leave them,” said Nic, who has been recognised internationally for his work in developing groundbreaking climate change mitigation and anti-poverty programs.

“We can all try to use energy more efficiently at home, and many people can install rooftop solar and home batteries.

“The government can help by supporting the rollout of batteries to harness the power of the existing solar homes.”

“Our Big Aussie Battery would make our energy mix greener, cheaper and more reliable: the exact things that all sides of politics agree should be the goal of energy industry reform.”

Nic said he had been inspired to act by the activism of young people around the world such as Sweden’s Greta Thunberg.

“We are in a climate emergency and our actions need to reflect it.”

Last year Nic founded DC Power Co, the world’s first crowdfunded energy services company focused on solar households, as a way of supporting solar households as they take back control of their energy.

Looking at the children striking in the streets, he now believes that he needs he needs to do more and build a movement to help households address our climate emergency.

“Our children are challenging us to act, we have to make that change in our own lives to show we do care for their future.”

Read more about the campaign at leadthecharge.com.au