Solar installs up almost 20%

RECENT data from Powercor shows the Ballarat area’s installation rates of solar rose by 18.78 per cent last year.

In 2019, 5254 solar systems were installed. Mary Debrett, the president of Ballarat Renewable Energy and Zero Emissions, BREAZE, said this uptake “speaks to the success” of the State government’s Solar Homes Program.

“This is a fantastic result. The program’s been a wonderful thing and highly effective, driving this amount of uptake across this region, and it’s done wonders across the state,” she said.

“It gives people a subsidy, a grant to get solar, and it’s available to homeowners and renters if their landlords consent and they meet the criteria. It’s brilliant.

“The uptake of that has been 50-50 across the under 50s and over 50s age groups, and across the board in terms of household incomes. Regardless of income, people are seeing the no-lose benefits of investing in solar.”

Paul Gilbert installed a five-kilowatt solar system at his Ballarat property this year. Having explored sustainable energy options, solar was his first port of call.

“I compared systems and installation companies, including Melbourne, and settled on a local firm,” he said.

“They, along with the generous Federal and State government subsidies enabled me to start the first of a few initiatives I will undertake.

“I feel the use of solar energy, especially in the domestic application, should continue to be pushed and supported by governments.”

With such low operation costs, Ms Debrett said a transition to solar, like Mr Gilbert’s, is a no-brainer, as BREAZE works to reduce the release of greenhouse gases across the region, and reach zero emissions by 2030.

As the host of Ballarat’s Community Power Hub, BREAZE received $1.1 million last month from the State government for shovel-ready solar projects around the city.

“About seven projects across Ballarat received $450,000 in total, and that’s going to be a lot of solar. A brilliant result.

“All we can do is think global and act local, and that’s what BREAZE is dedicated to. We’ve only got a decade left, so we’re committed to doing whatever we can,” she said.

“Not everyone can afford to make the jump to solar, but it is a great first step. People need to do whatever they can to reduce their carbon footprint.”