Two new grants programs announced by Solar Victoria are paving the way for thousands of Victorians to live in all-electric homes and access renewable solar energy. 

 

Residential Electrification Grants

A $10 million dollar program designed to help electrify Victorian homes is offering residential electrification grants to companies that propose innovative solutions for bulk electrification projects in new builds or existing homes.

The grants will encourage the bulk installation of solar and/or electric hot water systems in the initial construction phase of building projects. This will save new owners the need to individually apply for rebates, and the disruption of retrofitting further down the track.

The program comes as part of the Victorian Government’s 10-year Solar Homes program, and continues the State Government’s commitment to electrifying homes through innovative and modern solutions. By improving ease of access to renewable technologies, making networks more resilient, and encouraging the use of locally-produced solar products and services, more Victorians can benefit from electrification.

“This program is helping to accelerate the household transition to all-electric homes on a scale not yet seen in Australia,” said Lily D’Ambrosio, Minister for Energy and Resources.

To find out more or to check eligibility head to Solar Victoria.

Solar support for owners corporations

The other recently announced program is a co-funded partnership between the State and Federal governments, aiming to improve access to solar energy for apartment buildings. Owners corporations will likely be the primary grant applicants, with funding of up to $2,800 available per apartment for installing solar on up to 50 apartments per building.

Apartments have faced significant barriers to installing solar energy for several reasons, ranging from complex approvals and owners corporation processes, difficulty managing the diverse range of interests and needs of multiple residents, and issues with installing solar on shared roofs. This program intends to streamline and simplify this process by addressing these concerns in bulk and by lowering the upfront cost of solar installs for each apartment.

A significantly large proportion of Victorian apartment dwellers are renters (65%), who typically face more barriers installing solar than home-owners. But the program aims to enable more renters and apartment owners alike to access renewable solar energy. By targeting owners corporations, these grants aim to simplify the process and fast-track our clean energy transition, and allow renters the opportunity to access renewable solar. On the advantages of the program, Minister D’Ambrosio said,

“We know energy prices are putting pressure on households bills and by helping 5,000 more apartments share in the benefits of solar power, will ensure more Victorians can save on their energy bills no matter where they live.”

This program is still currently in its design phase, with the application process expected to open towards the end of 2023. You can keep up to date with progress here.