Nearly 10 per cent of all eligible households, or 13,000 homes, have taken up the ACT Government’s sustainable household scheme, borrowing around $170 million in interest-free loans.
“The program has been a huge success,” Chief Minister Andrew Barr said.
The scheme, launched in 2021, provides 10-year zero interest loans of up to $15,000 to help with the costs of energy-efficient upgrades and products, including household battery storage systems, electric heating and cooling systems, hot water heat pumps, electric stove tops, electric vehicles, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, ceiling insulation, and rooftop solar panels (restricted eligibility).
Tuggeranong, Belconnen, and Gungahlin households have been the biggest users of the scheme.
The number of households accessing the scheme by region:
- Tuggeranong: 3,556
- Belconnen: 3,378
- Gungahlin: 2,843
- Woden / Weston Creek / Molonglo: 1,771
- Central Canberra: 1,065
- Rest of ACT: 457
Last month, the ACT and Commonwealth Governments announced they would jointly provide $3.6 million to incentivise installing rooftop solar on apartment blocks through rebates and concessional loans to body corporates.
The next phase of the Scheme, Mr Barr said, will assist Canberrans to upgrade their heating and cooling to fully electric systems; to install hot water pumps and electric stove tops; and to purchase electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, battery storage systems, and ceiling insulation.
“The Government’s long-term investments in fixed price, large scale, renewable energy contracts continue to shield Canberrans from the price increases being experienced in other jurisdictions,” Mr Barr said.
“When combined with the ACT and Commonwealth funded energy rebates and concessions, it means most lower- and middle-income households in Canberra are paying less for electricity and experiencing a decline in energy costs in real terms.”
