- $10.8 million in funding awarded to Financial
Wellbeing Collective for Energy Ahead
- Energy efficiency
coaches are supporting households experiencing hardship
- Up to 9,000
eligible Synergy customers will benefit by June 2025
The Energy Ahead program, previously known as the Household Energy Efficiency
Scheme, has received an additional $10.8 million in State Government funding.
Anglicare WA, on behalf of Financial Wellbeing
Collective, has been awarded grant funding to deliver the Energy Ahead
program to June 2025 supporting up to 9,000 Western Australian households.
Launched in November 2021, 167 Synergy financial hardship customers participated
in the pilot with 85 community members attending energy literacy workshops.
Energy Ahead supports households facing financial hardship by addressing
energy efficiency, a key factor that contributes to high energy bills.
The program replaces low-efficiency appliances, such as refrigerators,
for households in relevant circumstances.
Meanwhile, Horizon Power is committed to delivering a similar program to
its regional customers – due to start in the West Kimberley in early 2024.
The regional energy provider is working closely with Synergy and
community organisations to establish the program and understand the challenges
and opportunities for its customers.
Comments attributed to Energy Minister Bill Johnston:
"Energy Ahead complements other State Government relief measures
supporting low-income families experiencing hardship.
"Financial Wellbeing Collective is uniquely placed to combine their
member organisations' knowledge, skills and complementary services to benefit Synergy
customers in hardship.
"So far, the Energy Ahead program has successfully helped vulnerable Western
Australians make changes to their homes and lifestyles that resulted in energy
bill savings.
"In delivering practical measures like Energy Ahead, the State Government
is helping to deliver better long-term outcomes for some of our most vulnerable
families."
