Victorians living in apartments and social housing will enjoy cheaper and cleaner energy thanks to a $108 million investment to replace fossil fuel powered appliances with superior, emission-free electric versions.
The federal and state governments will each contribute $46 million to electrify and modernise social housing, funding upgrades such as reverse-cycle air conditioning, hot water heat pumps, electric cooktops and rooftop solar. These investments will decrease emissions, improve efficiency and allow Victorians on low incomes to more effectively heat and cool their homes.
The Commonwealth funding is drawn from the $1.7 billion Energy Savings Package that Rewiring Australia successfully campaigned for in this year’s Federal Budget, and will feed into Victoria’s Energy Efficiency in Social Housing Program.
Victoria and the Commonwealth are also jointly funding a $16 million program to assist 5,000 Victorian apartments to benefit from rooftop solar. The program provides up to $2,800 per apartment or up to $140,000 total for each apartment building.
Rewiring Australia executive director, Dan Cass, said the twin policy announcements were a sound investment that would decrease energy bills and emissions.
“Rooftop solar paired with an electrified home provides the cheapest, cleanest energy available. The faster we move to electrified homes, backed by solar, the sooner we reap the benefit of cheaper energy and lower emissions.
“The social equity focus of this announcement is especially welcome. All Australians deserve to share in the bounty of renewable energy and its capacity to transform household budgets.
“Helping apartment buildings to install solar is critically important. As more Australians live in flats and apartments we must find ways for them to harvest and use solar.
“Australian governments have led the world in encouraging rooftop solar on detached homes and now we should be similarly ambitious when it comes to apartment buildings.”
