Solar panel rebate boost in next week's Victorian Budget as part of $797 million energy package
The package includes $191 million to extend the solar homes program to provide up to 42,000 additional rebates over a four-year period.
Energy Minister Lily D'Ambrosio said a total of 140,000 households would be able to install solar panels with no upfront cost over the next two years and small businesses were also included.
The Budget package also includes a solar battery rebate for 17,500 Victorian households over the next three years.
The solar panel program has proven popular since its introduction in 2018, with demand in the Victorian community far outstripping the scheme's initial cap of 24,000 households over a nearly 12-month period.
Ms D'Ambrosio said the program was offering 65,000 rebates this financial year and 75,000 in the next financial year.
"There is a massive build-up of demand for this. Our aim is to meet that demand," she said.
Investment in battery storage as 'next stage' in power grid's evolution
There will be 7,500 battery rebates available in the current financial year.
Andrew McCarthy, the CEO of RACV Solar, said the huge take-up of renewables could be attributed to a consistent government approach to supporting renewable energy development.
His company is now expanding, moving into a new facility that is seven times the size of its current factory in Dandenong.
"What it means is when you support renewable energy investment and particularly battery storage — which is the next stage of the evolution of the grid —you see those benefits flow through to all sectors of the economy," he said.
"It means we can employ more people, put more trucks and more vehicles on the road, more apprentices."
He said there had been days in the last month where had had had more than 60 per cent renewable energy in the grid.
Rebates to replace energy guzzler appliances
Ms D'Ambrosio said with more people spending time at home during the pandemic, energy bills had soared and the package also included a one-off $250 power bill relief payment for eligible concession-card holders.
The program, through the Government's Victorian Energy Compare website, starts in February next year and is expected to provide bill relief to an estimated 950,000 households, she said.
"Not only are we slashing power bills for families, we're putting money back in the pockets of Victorian families, we're creating … supporting around 4,000 jobs, about 1,500 of which are new jobs," she said.
Low-income earners will be able to replace their old gas, wood or electrical heaters with new energy-efficient appliances under a $33 million program to replace them with energy efficient systems.
The program is expected to save 250,000 households almost $1,000 rebate off a $1,700 reverse cycle heating and air conditioning system.
"They actually are energy guzzlers and the bills people receive by using those inefficient and old systems is something we want to remove," Ms D'Ambrosio said.
The package also provides energy-efficiency upgrades to 35 social housing units across the state, targeting the homes and renters in greatest need.
Opposition calls for more support with bills
Opposition Leader Michael O'Brien said anything that reduced power bills, which he argued had "gone through the roof" under this Government, was welcomed.
He said the $250 power bill relief payment on offer for eligible concession card holders could be more generous.
"We thought having a one-off increase to the concession [holders] to a capped amount of $1,000 for the year is something that would really have helped people in what has been such a difficult year financially," Mr O'Brien said.
He said the solar panel rebate programs had been oversubscribed in the past and limits were placed on who was eligible.
"I hope they can get it right this time," he said.
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