The Victorian government has allocated US$2.7 million (A$4 million) in funding for seven projects that will build new solar installations and heat pumps across homes in the Australian state.
The Residential Electrification Grants program will see seven providers – AusNet Electricity Services, Henley Arch, Next Generation Electrical, Global Energy Solutions, Solahart Industries, Solargain PV and UPowr – build clean energy infrastructure on Victorian homes, and pass on the savings generated to homeowners in the form of rebates. The state government notes that shifting to all-electric sources of power could save a home US$943.1 per year, or up to US$1,818.9 per year if teamed with solar panels.
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“We are helping more Victorians make the switch to all-electric homes – cutting down power bills and investing in a renewable energy future,” said Victoria minister for energy and resources Lily D’Ambrosio. “The Residential Electrification Grants program is increasing solar by broadening the reach and scope of the program to encourage innovation in the use of solar energy.”
Victoria already has an ambitious solar installation programme in place, the Solar Home project, a ten-year, US$880 million scheme to dramatically expand residential solar capacity in the state. The project aims for residential solar to account for one-eighth of the state’s renewable energy power mix, which will account for 40% of the state’s total energy supply by next year.
Projects such as these have pushed Australia to the forefront of the world’s rooftop solar sector. In 2023, Australian homes alone added 3.1GW of new rooftop solar capacity, and a report from the Clean Energy Council (CEC) found that rooftop solar alone met 14% of the country’s energy needs in the Summer of 2022-23.
However, last month saw Australia add the lowest capacity of new rooftop solar installations since January, and a 14% month-on-month decline from May, and while this downturn is thought to be a temporary anomaly, it demonstrates the importance of continued legislative support for new residential solar installations.
