Cutting home and business energy bills

The government is helping even more Victorians save hundreds of dollars each year on their energy bills.

Eligibility for Victoria’s nation leading $1.3 billion Solar Homes program will be expanded, enabling households to access rebates for both solar panels and solar hot water or high-efficiency electric heat pumps for the first time.

Victorians, who have not previously claimed a solar rebate, will be eligible for up to $2,400 in rebates for the installation of bill busting solar products. Households are also eligible for a $1,400 interest free loan, cutting up to $3,800 from upfront installation costs.

The changes also mean the nearly 190,000 Victorians who have previously accessed a rebate to install solar panels will be able to access up to an additional $1,000 to install solar hot water or a highly efficient heat pump system.

The government is also helping even more Victorian businesses to cut their energy bills, with up to $8,500 off the upfront cost of a solar system installation through the expansion of eligibility criteria of the $47.5 million Solar for Business Program.

More Victorian businesses will be able to take control of their energy bills with businesses with up to 50 employees able to access a rebate of up to $3,500 to install solar panels, an increase from the current 20 employee threshold.

For the first time, businesses will also be able to apply for zero interest loans of between $1,000 and $5,000 to reduce the initial outlay for solar installation.

Since 2018, the Government has helped more than 200,000 Victorian homeowners, renters and business owners cut their energy bills by directly investing more than $380 million to subsidise the installation of solar panels, solar hot water and solar batteries.

The Solar Homes program will cut Victoria’s carbon emissions by almost four million tonnes – the equivalent of taking one million cars off the road. Household solar is expected to generate 12.5 per cent of Victoria’s 40 per cent target for renewable energy by 2025.

Businesses will be able to access the expanded program from Friday, 29 April, while households can apply now for multiple solar products.