02/08/2023
Dear valued customer,
We hope this email finds you enjoying the many benefits of your Braemar ducted gas heater. We wanted to take a moment to address recent concerns over the Victorian government’s short-sighted ban on new houses and as a result, all newly constructed homes will no longer be allowed to connect to the natural gas network in Victoria from January 1st 2024.
We can assure you that this does not affect existing connections to your gas network and gas will not be switched off for your household. Your gas product will continue to perform at its best, into the future.
a) There is no suggestion and no possibility that gas will be switched off from existing connections to homes.
b) Given Victorian electricity comes from burning brown coal, gas is a much cleaner alternative and better for the environment.
Gas as an energy source offers numerous advantages, and we believe you made an excellent choice in purchasing a Braemar ducted gas heater. Here are some of the key benefits of using gas:
1. Instant Heat.
Gas appliances provide instant heat, allowing you to control the temperature quickly and efficiently in your home or workspace.
2. Constant, cosy performance.
Ducted gas heating operates independently of how cold it gets outside and therefore will always provide a constant heat.
3. Gas provides more affordable energy to the home.
The average cost to use gas in your home is less than half of what it costs to provide the same amount of energy when using electricity. In Victoria, the difference is dramatic: the average cost of gas is 65% lower than the cost of electricity supply*.
4. Gas is cleaner than the current alternatives.
Natural gas provides energy to homes with an average 75% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than grid electricity*. Given Victoria’s electricity generation is dominated by brown coal, emissions from electricity are 5x higher than direct use of gas in the home.
5. Reliable Energy Supply.
Gas is not dependent on weather conditions, ensuring a steady and uninterrupted supply of energy.
6. The electricity network is not ready for rapid electrification.
The Victorian electricity grid is already under significant strain. There is a need for many years of investment in Australia’s electrical grids before they can possibly cope with full electrification. Half of the energy currently supplied to homes in Victoria is gas, and there’s no way the electricity grid can cope with double the current demand any time soon.
7. It’s expensive to switch from gas to electricity.
The Victorian Government has come under fire for estimating homeowners would only need to spend between $6700 and $12,900 to replace gas with electric appliances. According to modelling commissioned by Gas Energy Australia from Frontier Economics, the estimates failed to include the cost of replacing appliances, upgrading wiring, and the work associated with removing gas infrastructure from the home; and gave a more accurate estimate between $21,555 and $41,430 per home - a prohibitive price for many Victorian homeowners.
8. The renewable gas future is coming.
Gas has a future. The gas industry is committed to decarbonising, in line with its Gas Vision 2050, with gas network businesses that supply over two-thirds of Australian residential customers committing to net zero by 2050. To support the transition to more sustainable energy sources, there are efforts to develop greener natural gas alternatives including Hydrogen and Biomethane.
Rest assured, at Seeley International, we have been working with leading industry authorities to ensure our gas heating products are hydrogen and biomethane ready, to perform at their best using hydrogen blends to provide the same cosy warmth and whole of home comfort that you and millions of Australians expect and have been experiencing every winter with Braemar, for generations. Most of our ducted gas heaters purchased up to 10 years ago, will operate seamlessly on a hydrogen blend; so, when renewable hydrogen gas blends are available in your neighbourhood in the near future, you can be assured that your Braemar gas heating system will perform at its best and is compliant with all Australian Safety Standards and regulations.
To further assure you of the safety and efficiency of your gas product, we encourage you to reach out to your Dealer or Installer for regular service and maintenance.
Thank you for choosing our gas product. We are confident that it will continue to serve you reliably and efficiently for many years to come.
Kind regards,
Seeley Marketing
*Source: Energy Networks Australia – Reliable and clean gas for Australian homes document
