In the wake of the Victorian Government’s decision to phase out new gas connections, several misconceptions have arisen.
As a leading supplier of gas bottles and liquified petroleum gas (LPG), Supagas feels a responsibility to keep Australian homeowners informed, according to National Sales Manager, Leigh Street.
“Our customers and investors are concerned that LPG will be wiped from Victoria as this ban takes effect, but that’s just not true,” Street said.
According to Gas Energy Australia, 356,600 Victorian households relied on LPG in 2021. The state builds 50,000 new homes every year and 80 per cent are connected to the gas network. That’s a lot of new homes which need an alternative source of power to cook and heat their home.
Many will turn to electricity, considering it the only alternative. However, LPG remains a strong competitor.
But first: What is LPG?
LPG is a preferred energy source for many industrial applications because of its clean burning nature, reliability and cost efficiency.
The gas is also widely used for domestic applications such as cooking, heating and hot water. A few common applications include BBQs, camping stoves, gas generators, heating homes, hot water systems, and commercial/industrial .
LPG is generally considered to be better for the environment compared to other fossil fuels like gasoline, diesel, and coal, especially when installed responsibly by a licensed gas fitter.
Facts
LPG is exempt from the gas connection ban
Amendment VC250 to Victoria’s Gas Substitution Roadmap states that the new requirements only apply to the use of reticulated natural gas and do not apply to the use of bottled or reticulated LPG. This means new and existing dwellings can still benefit from the cleaner and more efficient LPG.
If a homeowner wishes to switch from natural gas to LPG, it’s often as simple as hiring a licensed gasfitter to connect a Supagas bottle to the house. However, these gases cannot be used in place of each other in domestic appliances, meaning you may need to replace items like your cooktop or heater in the process.
Street offered some simple advice to Victorians planning to build their dream home.
“If you wish to power your home with LPG, this is perfectly permissible,” he said.
“Simply ask your plumber and build team to work the connection into the design and they’ll have it organised.”
Victoria is the first state to ban new gas connections
This one is true on a technicality – the ACT has also banned new gas connections, while no state has followed in Victoria’s footsteps.
In response to the Victorian gas bans, New South Wales, Premier Chris Minns told 2GB radio that existing energy challenges prevented the state from following in Victoria’s footsteps.
“We’ve also got baseload power that’s coming off in the next few years and not enough renewables coming into the system,” he said. “I don’t need another complication or another policy change when the challenges ahead of us are so serious.”
At the same in Western Australia, Premier Roger Cook said gas bans were nowhere on the state’s radar.
“It’s not something that we’re considering at this point in time,” he told WAtoday in 2023.
LPG is proven and popular in Victoria
More than 12 per cent (356,000) of Victorian homes already run on LPG and the swap from natural gas is extremely cost effective.
Gas Energy Australia CEO Brett Heffernan says LPG appliances are far cheaper than their electrical alternatives.
“The transition from natural gas to LPG, typically, requires minor changes by a licensed gasfitter,” he says.
“If, in rare cases, natural gas equipment cannot be made LPG-compliant, new LPG appliances retail for about half the price of electrical appliances and without the need to rewire homes.”
While electrification has been touted as the solution to achieve Victoria’s target of net-zero emissions by 2045, not all electrical appliances are created equal, according to Heffernan.
“The most efficient CO2 electrical appliances will set Victorian families back around $12,000 in upfront costs (appliance and installation),” he continues.
“Faced with these costs, families might opt for cheaper, though less CO2 efficient, electrical appliances thinking they’re doing the right thing. But emissions from these appliances are higher than gas.
“Switching from gas to low efficiency electrical appliances increases each Victorian home’s emissions by a staggering 960kg per year.”
Misconceptions
Burning LPG is bad for the environment
As with any source of power, there are pros and cons to the use of LPG. The biggest positive is that burning LPG for energy produces no carbon emissions and therefore does not contribute to the warming of our climate. In contrast, LPG collection is a by-product of oil and methane extraction. This means that while burning LPG is relatively clean, its existence as a product does support fossil fuel extraction.
Existing dwellings are affected by Victoria’s new law
This is false as the new law only impacts new gas connections, while allowing existing natural gas connections to remain. However, “new gas connections” do include extensions or alterations to an existing dwelling, the conversion of an existing outbuilding and the laying of new gas infrastructure through existing dwellings or to be used for a new dwelling.
For all the fine print, make sure to consult the Victorian Government’s website or ask Supagas for more information. But rest assured: if it’s new, it’s not natural gas.
Victorians cannot replace existing gas appliances
This is false as the new law only relates to the gas connection itself. If a home already has a gas connection and associated appliances, residents are within their rights to maintain, replace or even install new appliances. This could include cooktops, ovens, heaters, and more. The idea behind the law is to stop any further development of the natural gas network without hampering existing connections.
To find out more about the new gas policy, click here.