Project
Introduction
The Wired for Tomorrow project recognises the critical role of electrification in achieving the City of Yarra’s climate goals and investigates what needs to happen at a precinct level to enable an all-electric transition. Yarra Energy Foundation partnered with Yarra City Council and Little Sketches to create this interactive Vision demonstrating what an all-electric future could look like and how we get there.
An all-electric precinct presents a model of the future that is cleaner, equitable, and resilient. A major aspect of achieving this vision is the rapid uptake of distributed energy resources (DER):
- Solar PV
- Energy storage (batteries)
- Heat pumps
- Demand response devices
- Electric vehicles
- Smart appliances
Every precinct can become all-electric today using technologies that are proven, efficient and available. And doing so is an essential step towards net zero, lower energy bills, and safer and more comfortable housing.
The Wired for Tomorrow Vision outlines the vision, pathways, and appropriate stakeholders to achieve an all-electric precinct within the City of Yarra.
What is an 'all-electric precinct'
An ‘all-electric precinct’ refers to a neighbourhood where all energy needs and systems, particularly for heating, cooling, and transportation, are met by electricity. Additionally, this electricity generation can be met exclusively through renewable sources (wind and solar). This concept is part of broader efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change by eliminating the use of fossil fuels within a designated area.
These precincts could serve as models for sustainable urban development and inspire other communities to adopt similar practices in their energy and transportation systems.
Key characteristics of an all-electric precinct may include:
- Renewable energy sources such as local rooftop solar, to generate electricity.
- Active and electric transport including walking, , bikes, buses, and cars.
- Electric heating and cooling with heat pumps.
- Electric water heating and cooking.
- Electric industrial processes.
- Demand response/Smart grids to control supply and demand curves.
- Energy storage to store excess energy generated during peak production times.
- Grid integration to allow bi-directional energy flow (surplus electricity can be both sent back or drawn from the grid).
- Equity and affordability, sharing benefits across the community, reducing energy costs for all.
- Reduced emissions associated with energy use, making it a more sustainable and environmentally friendly community.
Background
In their 2024 Climate Action Plan, Yarra City Council committed to achieving net-zero emissions within the municipality by 2035.
Recognising the urgency of this issue, Yarra City Council is determined to lead by example and take proactive measures to mitigate the effects of climate change, thereby safeguarding their community's future.
One of the key initiatives in this direction is widespread electrification, which could transform the City of Yarra into a more sustainable, energy-efficient, and environmentally conscious community.
As outlined in Yarra City Council’s Roadmap to Zero Advisory Report, energy (including electricity, gas, and transport) makes up ~94% of the emissions emitted by the municipality
Harnessing the power of solar panels alongside modern, energy-efficient electrical appliances is also the most cost-effective solution for powering our homes and businesses.
Reducing reliance on expensive and polluting fossil fuels for our energy and embracing renewable sources would provide numerous benefits:
- Reduced greenhouse gas emissions
- Reduced energy bills
- Improve air quality
- Enhanced energy resilience
- Improved local economy
- A more engaged community
Get Involved
Everyone within our communities has a role to play in shaping our energy future. Whether you’re a resident, business owner, or policy maker, your involvement is crucial to achieving widespread electrification.
Community engagement is at the heart of the Wired for Tomorrow project. Residents, businesses, and organisations are encouraged to participate in various ways:
- Electrify and install solar: Get off gas and power your home with cheap, clean energy. Download City of Yarra’s Go Electric Plan.
- Workshops and events: Attend informational sessions to learn about the benefits of electrification and how to implement it in your home or business.
- Feedback and suggestions: Share your thoughts and ideas to help shape the project.
- Volunteer opportunities: Contribute your time and skills to support local community groups, such as Electrify Yarra.
- Spread the word: Talk to your friends, family, and neighbours about the numerous benefits of electrification and share the Wired for Tomorrow Vision.
Explore the Vision and learn what makes up an all-electric precinct as well as the major transition points to enable this future.
Success Stories
Hear from members of the Yarra community who have already embraced electrification and experienced the benefits firsthand. These stories showcase real-life examples of how transitioning to renewable energy and smart technologies has improved their quality of life, reduced energy costs, and contributed to a healthier environment.
Contact Information
For more information about the Wired for Tomorrow project, or to get involved, please contact us at:
- Email: information@yef.org.au
- Phone: +61 3 7037 6040
Feel free to reach out with any questions or to share your ideas. Together, we can create a sustainable future for the City of Yarra.
Vision Guide
The Wired for Tomorrow story comes in three flavours that represent our precinct's energy situation in:
- the current day (with a nod to the past)
- a fully electrified future, and
- the transition period between those states (transformer).
Each story — or phase — is independent, so you can read them any order you like. They each contain scenes which you can traverse by simply scrolling, top to bottom, or by tapping on the dots on the story navigation bar on the right of screen.
This is the best way to learn about all the different parts of the electrification challenge, and how they are connected. Alternatively, you can use the navigation bar at the top of the page to switch between phases. This is a great way to compare and learn how individual parts of the electrification story change over time.
To help you better understand the Wired for Tomorrow stories, a series of extra information windows are made available that provide more details about certain topics. Links to these information windows will look like this for energy topics and like this for community actions. Tapping on these links will open the information window.
As you explore the Transformers story, a special set of transition tipping point topics are identified that can also be tapped on to provide more detail. Expandable tipping points will look like this: