Renters Solidarity Fund

The Renters Solidarity Fund is an exclusive member benefit to help-out CoPower renters reliant on expensive gas appliances. The $7,500 fund comes from revenue from our sales of gas which customer members voted to allocate to help out those in rentals. All of our gas revenue goes to exclusive members benefits to help those with gas accounts to reduce energy use to save both money and carbon pollution. Not a renter? You can view our exclusive member benefits for those with gas accounts by clicking here for our Energy Saving Grants or apply here for Ultra efficient Earthworker hot water systems.

CoPower customer members met and decided to split the fund into two parts:

Part 1:
$5,500 towards products and services to help renters reduce energy use and save:
There are three member benefits (shown below) which CoPower customer members who are renters can apply for. There is a limit of one member benefit per customer member.

1. $247.50 Earthworker Smart Energy Cooperative home thermal assessment and renters DIY report.
   This gives you the information you need to address draughts in your home including the tools and skills to fix this yourself using affordable, high quality materials. If your relationship with your rental manager is sensitive, they can provide DIY options. Available in Melbourne Metro only (additional service fee for outside Melbourne Metro).
2. $470 home energy saving grants.
   This is to help you reduce your use of gas and save energy through product upgrades or purchases. Examples include: Air fryer, thermal insulating curtains, door draught stoppers (door snakes), electric heaters, window glazing or other items.
3. $750 for Earthworker hot water systems.
   This is for upgrading to an ultra efficient Earthworker hot water system. In most cases the landlord will need to decide to fund the hot water system. Earthworker Energy Manufacturing Cooperative (EEMC) is one of our member organisations and produces locally made and super efficient hot water systems to help people get off gas, reduce their emissions and save money. If you are in a position to work with your landlord on replacing a gas hot water systems with this super efficient hot water system this is a good option. Available across all of Victoria, Greater Sydney, Northern Sydney, Wollongong, Newcastle and Brisbane.

To apply for Earthworker Smart Energy Cooperative home thermal assessment and renters DIY report please complete this form.
To apply for the Energy Saving grants please complete this form.
To learn more about and apply for Earthworker hot water systems please click here.

The renters solidarity fund is open from 11 October 2025 and the first round of applications will be reviewed on 9:00am 27 October 2025. Thereafter the applications will be reviewed on a monthly basis until the fund is exhausted.  Where there is an oversubscription funding will be allocated to those most in need.

Part 2:
$2,000 for Renters Advocacy.

CoPower customer members met and decided to allocate $2,000 towards advocacy for renters to identify common challenges and look at opportunities for collective change making. Examples include sharing strategies to convince your landlord to replace gas appliances with efficient electric ones or lobby governments to mandate better energy efficiency standards for renters. 

Funding will enable CoPower staff to work together with customer members with CoPower Gas to advocate for renters who are pursuing reducing their gas and/or energy use. Together, we will identify opportunities for renters to further their energy transition goals, provide information to other renting customer members to help inform what has worked and other quick wins they can achieve and more.

We want to hear what the greatest barriers you face as a renter are to reduce energy use and the costs associated with reliance on expensive gas appliances. What opportunities can you identify to reduce these barriers and what areas can we work on together? 

Click here to share more on your situation and opportunities to support those in rental accommodation with gas.