There are a number of federal and state based incentives in place to assist you in taking steps towards energy efficiency and play your part in hitting our target together:
Solar power
The Federal Government offers rebates of up to $8000 for households, schools and community organisations that use their own solar power to generate electricity (photovoltaic panels) through the photovoltaic rebate program (PVRP).
Full details are available from the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts website or by phoning 1800 808 571.
You might also qualify for money back from the Federal Government Mandatory Renewable Energy Target (MRET) scheme by selling Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). The number of RECs you can sell will depend on the size and efficiency of the system you install. Visit the Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator (ORER) for details of how the scheme works or phone (02) 6274 2192.
Solar hot water
The Federal Government offers rebates up to $1600 for eligible households who upgrade to a solar or heat pump hot water system.
Visit the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts website for full eligibility details and application forms or phone 1800 808 571.
You might also qualify for money back from the Federal Government MRET scheme by selling RECS. Visit the Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator (ORER) for details of how the scheme works or phone (02) 6274 2192.
Insulation
The Federal Government offers rebates of $1000 for landlords with tenants to install insulation in their rental properties.
Visit the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts website for full eligibility details and application forms or phone 1800 808 571.
All states are eligible for the Federal Government rebates and may also qualify for the Renewable Energy Credits program (detailed above). Some states have additional energy rebates.
New South Wales
Hot water system rebates of up to $300 for gas hot water systems 5 star or higher and up to $1200 for solar and heat pump systems. It is possible that applicants may be eligible for rebates under both the Federal and the State Government schemes.
Ceiling insulation rebates of up to $300 are available.
Victoria
Solar hot water rebates of up to $1500 are available for systems that are not covered by the Federal Government scheme.
Gas hot water systems of up to $700 are available for households that currently use a peak (day-rate) electric water heater or a water heater fuelled by wood. The rebate is also available on instantaneous and storage gas water heaters that have a 5 star rating (4 star internal systems only).
Ceiling insulation rebates of up to $500 are available.
Renewable Remote Power Generation Program (RRPGP) provides rebates for households, communities, not-for-profit, business, government and other organisations in off the grid areas to support the installation of renewable generation systems. This program is administered by Sustainability Victoria , phone 1300 137 880.
South Australia
The Renewable Remote Power Generation Program (RRPGP) provides rebates for households, communities, not-for-profit, business, government and other organisations in off the grid areas to support the installation of renewable generation systems.
Solar hot water rebates are provided by the SA Government: $700 for a new two-panel system; $500 for a new one-panel system; $700 for a heat pump system; $500 for any solar retro-fit or pre-heating system.
Applicants may be eligible for rebates under both the Federal and the State Government schemes.
Solar Feed-In Scheme is a tariff to pay householders and other small electricity consumers 44 cent per kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity fed into the electricity grid.
Tasmania
The Renewable Remote Power Generation Program (RRPGP) provides financial support for the installation of renewable energy generation systems in areas of Tasmania that otherwise rely solely on fossil fuel for electricity supply.
Western Australia
The Remote Area Power Supply (RAPS) Program provides rebates for the installation of renewable energy power systems used instead of fossil fuel generation in off-grid areas (anything that is not connected to the south west network or the Pilbara region) of WA.
The Rural Renewable Energy Program provides rebates for grid-connect renewable energy power systems in specific ‘fringe of grid’ areas of the South West electricity grid.
The Renewable Remote Power Generation Program (RRPGP) is available in WA and provides rebates for large scale renewable energy systems in off-grid areas.
A Solar Water Heater Subsidy is available: $500 for natural gas-boosted solar water heaters and $700 for bottled LP gas-boosted solar water heaters used in areas without reticulated gas. The Sustainability Energy Development Office (SEDO) also has a directory of eligible solar water heater suppliers.
The Regional Energy Efficiency Program provides energy reduction rebates for households, businesses and other organisations in ‘off-grid’ areas. The program provides free light globes to households and rebates for ceiling insulation and energy efficient (high energy star rating) models of air conditioners, fridges, freezers and controllers. Energy audits are also available to some businesses and organisations.
Queensland
The Renewable Remote Power Generation Program provides rebates for households, communities, not-for-profit, business, government and other organisations that install renewable energy systems in ‘off-grid’ areas, phone 1300 369 388.
Solar Bonus Scheme is a tariff to pay domestic and small energy customers for the surplus electricity generated from solar systems that is fed back into the electricity grid. Customers signed-up to the scheme will be paid 44 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity fed into the grid
Northern Territory
The Renewable Remote Power Generation Program provides rebates for households, communities, not-for-profit, business, government and other organizations that install renewable energy systems in ‘off-grid’ areas, phone (08) 8999 5194.