Voting options

Our customer members voted for us to launch a CoPower Gas product so long as the revenue is allocated towards initiatives that help our customer members reduce their energy use, save money and where possible get off gas.

The initiatives have been determined by providing an opportunity to our customer members to submit their top ideas, of which we received 75 ideas. Afterwards, on Friday 25th of July we ran a Democratic Budget customer member meeting to consider the ideas that were shared by our customer members, and to evaluate the voting process.

Thanks to this meeting, and the 75 customer members who submitted the initial ideas, we have been able to refine them into 6 categories (shown below). Each category has a value of $7,500 with the voting process explained earlier in this email. Once everyone’s voting preferences are taken into account, two categories will be funded over the next year to a total value of $15,000.

Important: Only the top two most popular initiatives will receive funding, with each of the two most popular initiatives receiving half of the $15,000 budget ($7,500 each).

Please note that the choices will be listed in a randomised order:

$7,500 worth of Grants for electrification
Customer members with CoPower Gas can apply for one of 15 $500 grants for home electrification. Priority given to households in-need – e.g. health care / concession card holders. Available Australia-wide.

$7,500 for a CoPower Getting off Gas action group
CoPower to provide peer to peer support to help households learn from each other on electrification journeys and advocacy to get off gas. Funds support CoPower to dedicate staff capacity to resource the group.

$7,500 for a Renters gas solidarity fund
Dedicated fund to supporting renters which could include providing grants (as mentioned in other points) and coordinating advocacy.

$7,500 worth of Grants Ultra efficient Earthworker hot water systems
Customer members with CoPower Gas can apply for one of 10 $750 grants. Available across all of Victoria, Greater Sydney, Northern Sydney, Wollongong, Newcastle and Brisbane. More information here.

$7,500 for Electrification recommendation tool
CoPower pilots a partnership to create an electrification tool that uses energy use data to provide recommendations, eligible grants and discounts, and quotes on electrification (e.g. platforms include Boom! or Volta Rocks)

$7,500 worth of Grants for Earthworker home draught proofing and assessments
Customer members with CoPower Gas can apply for one of 15 $137.50 (half price) thermal assessments and one of 15 $360 draught proofing grants. Available in Melbourne Metro. More information here.

If you’re a customer member with CoPower Gas please make sure to check your email address for our voting invitation and vote before the deadline at Midnight August 17th.

If you have any questions regarding the above, please email us at [email protected].