Book

Griffith, S., & Fraser, L. (2025). Plug in! : the electrification handbook. Black Inc.

Description

We all know that renewable energy is the future, but how can we ditch coal and gas in our own lives and homes? Plug In! is full of pro tips and essential information for your electrification journey. Energy expert Saul Griffith, with help from some of his electrifying friends, covers the five big Where you get your electricity: Hot water, House heat, Cooking and Transport. But wait, there’s the new abundance agenda, all hail the tradie army, what to know about EVs – plus great graphics! Join the movement and electrify your world with Plug In!

( WorldCat | Plug In!)

Parts, chapters and sections

Part 1 The Big Picture p. 1

1. Rewiring Your Life p. 3
   • The Five Big Things p. 8
   • Tradies will save the world p. 10
   • The not-so-little details p. 12
2. Electrification Is a Journey p. 14
   • Every family needs an electrification plan p. 19
3. Energy, Energy Bills, Electrification and You p. 23
   • How energy comes to you p. 24
   • Your energy bills today p. 25
   • Electrification is the biggest efficiency p. 31
   • When should I electrify? p. 37
4. Financing Your Electrification Journey p. 39
   • Swapping fuels for finance p. 40
   • The basics: the cost of money p. 41
   • Pay cash? Pay fast? Pay slow? p. 48
   • Electrifier: Katherine McConnell, finance professional p. 50
5. A Fair Go, Mate? Electrifying Everything for Everyone p. 54
   • Choice p. 58

Part 2 The Five Big Things p. 59

6. Clean Electricity, Solar and Batteries p. 61
   • Getting solar installed p. 64
   • Choosing a solar installer p. 65
   • Home batteries p. 66
   • Things to consider when choosing a battery p. 67
   • Getting your battery installed p. 69
   • Financing your solar and battery systems p. 69
   • Government assistance p. 70
   • Strata properties p. 71
   • Renters p. 71
   • Community and local engagement p. 72
   • Solar and battery FAQs p. 73
   • Electrifier: Bryn Foletta p. 77
7. Electrify Your Transportation p. 81
   • My electric vehicle journey(s) p. 82
   • The economics of electrics p. 85
   • Maintenance p. 88
   • Charging at home p. 91
   • Charging on the road p. 92
   • Big or small? p. 93
   • Things to consider when choosing an EV p. 95
   • Financing your EV p. 97
   • Government assistance p. 98
   • The forever car p. 98
   • Electric vehicles FAQs p. 99
   • On yer (electric) bike p. 103
   • Electrifier: Dan Bleakley p. 110
8. Electrify Your Hot Water p. 113
   • Gas p. 115
   • Electric resistance p. 116
   • Electric heat pumps p. 116
   • Solar-thermal p. 117
   • What’s the best hot water option? p. 118
   • Things to consider when choosing a heat pump p. 120
   • Getting it installed p. 121
   • Government assistance p. 122
   • Water heating FAQs p. 123
   • Electrifier: Karl Jensen p. 124
9. Electrify Your Heating and Cooling p. 126
   • Underfloor heating p. 128
   • Air-sourced heat pumps, aka “split systems” or “reverse cycle A/C” p. 129
   • Window units p. 129
   • Oil heaters p. 130
   • Resistance heaters, bar heaters and panel heaters p. 130
   • Do what’s right for you p. 131
   • Cooling p. 131
   • Insulation and efficiency p. 132
   • Things to consider: heating and cooling p. 136
   • Getting it installed p. 137
   • Government assistance p. 137
   • Renters p. 138
   • Heating and cooling FAQs Electrifier: Sarah Aubrey p. 138
10. Electrify Your Kitchen p. 139
    • Things to consider when choosing a cooktop p. 144
    • Getting it installed p. 150
    • Government assistance p. 151
    • Renters p. 152
    • Cooking FAQs p. 152
    • Electrifier: Kim Loo p. 153
11. Living the Dream p. 154
    • Electrifier: Fred Hopley p. 157

Part 3 Buying and Selling Electricity p. 158

12. A Brief History of the Grid p. 171
    • Competitive market my arse p. 174
13. Understanding Your Electricity Bill p. 178
14. Building a Fairer Electricity Market p. 187
    • Our finance system favours fossil fuels p. 188
    • Electrification for renters p. 189
    • Electrifying social housing p. 190
    • Electrifying apartments p. 191
    • Interest-free and lower-interest loans p. 191
    • On-bill finance p. 192
    • On-rates finance p. 194
    • The Electrify Everything Loan Scheme p. 194
    • One way or another, we need more finance options p. 197
    • An idea: symmetric tariffs p. 197
    • A related idea: local user charges p. 198

Part 4 Frequently Asked Questions p. 199

15. How much do I need to know about electricity? p. 201
    • Three-phase power: what is it and do you need it? p. 203
16. What about efficiency? p. 206
17. What about recycling – what happens to old solar cells? p. 209
18. What about other climate actions? p. 212
    • What about my food? p. 212
    • What about my stuff? p. 213
19. What about other energy sources? p. 216
20. What about farming? p. 217

Conclusion: The Climate Why? p. 219 Acknowledgements p. 224
Resources p. 225

About the Author

Saul Griffith is an engineer and entrepreneur specialising in clean and renewable energy technologies. Saul has founded a dozen technology companies across 20 years in Silicon Valley. Saul is the author of 3 books including `Electrify’, and `The Big Switch’. Saul has recently turned his attention from Otherlab, his independent Research and Development lab, to policy work and writing, including founding Rewiring America and Rewiring Australia, non-partisan organizations dedicated to electrification and decarbonization and the associated policy and regulatory implications of meeting our climate goals

(Saul Griffith)

Where to find

Borrow

The South Australian public library network holds multiple copies. Although not within Alexandrina libraries, it is available as an inter-library loan: See Source at Libraries SA.

Buy

Plug In! is available through the publishing house, local bookstores, and online resellers.

Video

Electric Communities – In Conversation

See also