Wednesday, 19 February 2025

 Lily D’AMBROSIO (Mill Park – Minister for Climate Action, Minister for Energy and Resources, Minister for the State Electricity Commission) (14:11): I am so absolutely pleased to update the house on we are helping Victorians take control of their energy bills each and every day because we know how important it is for families to have real cost-of-living relief to make life just that bit easier. 2024 was another massive, record year for our Solar Homes program, with more than 78,000 solar panels, hot-water systems and batteries installed in homes right across the state. It takes us to over a billion dollars slashed from the up-front cost of installation of these systems, putting real dollars back in the pockets of ordinary families. That is over 300,000 households who will have solar panels, including 6000 rental properties. It is also over 50,000 energy-efficient electric hot-water systems and more than 19,000 batteries.

The numbers do not lie. More and more Victorians are taking up our rebates. Why? Because they know it will slash their energy bills each and every day. Victorian families are saving hundreds of millions of dollars every year, powering appliances in their homes with free electricity from their rooftop solar, and why wouldn’t you? You can save $1000 with solar panels. That increases to about $1400 if you use it to heat up your hot water with a heat pump. It increases even more if you add a battery to it. Eighty-five per cent of Victorians are eligible for our rebates and our interest-free loans, including renters and those in apartments. We are on the side of Victorians at the dinner table, not on the side of the big energy and gas companies at boardroom tables, whose interests are to have all Victorians pay more for their energy on the bills. The Allan government is backing Victorian families, helping them with real cost-of-living relief, and we will continue to back Victorians every single day.