Sun’s out and funds out

The State Government is helping Victorians cut their energy costs, with the solar panel rebates program being ramped up.

Eligibility for rebates under the Solar Homes program is being expanded to new homes under construction, allowing Victorians to save on installation costs and electricity bills from the moment they move into their newly built home.

Homeowners will save up to $800 on installation costs by fitting panels as they wire electricity to their new homes, on top of an average of $1,073 each year in energy costs.

Forty thousand homes are built in Victoria annually, and the expansion will see 64,000 rebates available this financial year for solar PV systems.

Eligible Victorians building homes can apply for a $1,400 rebate, as well as a $1,400 interest free loan to install solar panels during construction.

Minister for Solar Homes, Lily D’Ambrosio, said the program’s expansion would both save Victorians money, and complement plans to reduce Victoria’s carbon emissions.

“We know energy prices are putting pressure on households – expanding Solar Homes to new builds will help tens of thousands of Victorians save thousands on electricity costs and help us cut emissions by 50 per cent by 2030,” Minister D’Ambrosio said.

“We’re putting power back into the hands of Victorian households – driving down energy costs and boosting supply, creating thousands of jobs and cutting solar installation costs for new builds by hundreds.”

Since the Solar Home Program began in 2018, it has helped over 195,000 Victorian households install solar PV systems, cutting Victoria’s carbon emissions by 1.6 million tonnes.

That’s the equivalent of the emissions produced by 500,000 cars each year.

Applicants for a rebate under the Solar Homes program must use a Solar Victoria authorised retailer, and install a product included on the approved products list to qualify for the rebate.

For more information, including eligibility criteria and how to apply, visit www.solar.vic.gov.au.