Solar Hot Water Rebate Increases

Going green has just become easier, with another tax-payer-funded incentive announced today.

From today, solar hot-water rebates will increase by over 50 per cent and homeowners across the nation will be financially assisted to install ceiling insulation.

As part of a much broader $42 billion economic stimulus package, the Federal Government has announced the Energy Efficient Homes Package. Worth $4 billion, it is aimed at reducing household-electricity bills by up to 40 per cent.

However, the government’s package has met with a mixed response. Damien Lawson, from Friends of the Earth has labelled it mere tokenism.

“Kevin Rudd today has attempted to greenwash it with this pink-batts policy,” he was reported as saying. He said it does nothing to reduce the impacts of climate change as there is no investment in renewable energy.

Phil Freeman from the Australian Conservation Foundation said it’s a start but the government needs to expand the program to encourage green jobs.

While Climate Institute CEO John Connor said: “There’s no question that insulation and solar hot water are at the top of the list in improving the energy wastage and carbon pollution from our homes.”

Details of the Package

You can claim only one component of the new package. Solar hot water, or ceiling insulation, not both. However, if you have already claimed the previous $1000 means-tested rebate, don’t panic, you can still install insulation.

There’s a clear advantage here for those who have already claimed a rebate and have no existing ceiling insulation. If the government was serious about reducing energy usage then solar hot water, insulation and solar power, would all be further encouraged.

Solar Hot Water Rebate: was $1000, now $1600 with no means testing

You must be replacing an existing electric hot water system to qualify, so unfortunately nothing has changed here, except for the increased financial incentive.

“The Energy Efficient Homes investment increases the Government’s Solar Hot Water Rebate from $1,000 to $1,600 from today until 30 June 2012. This rebate will not be means-tested.”

Ceiling Insulation: not floors or walls

The key word here is ‘ceiling’. The rebate does not apply to wall or floor insulation.

“For a time-limited period of two and a half years, from 1 July 2009, owner-occupiers without ceiling insulation will be eligible for free product and installation (capped at $1,600) simply by making a phone call.”

“As an interim arrangement, from today and until 30 June 2009, eligible owner-occupiers who install ceiling insulation in their homes will be able to seek reimbursement (up to $1,600) after the program commences. The Government estimates 2.2 million owner-occupied homes will benefit from this program.”

What about rebates for photovoltaic panels?

The existing Solar Homes and Communities Program and the new Solar Credits scheme will not be affected.

More information

It’s worth having a look over the Energy Efficient Homes Package website for more details or previous posts on Solar Hot Water rebates.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009 at 7:11 pm and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.