2016-05-19
The Greens have announced a costed plan to support the tens of thousands of Sunshine Coast solar households to install battery storage and to encourage even more homes to shift to clean-energy.
“The Sunshine Coast certainly lives up to its name by embracing solar energy,” Qld Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens Deputy Leader, said.
“Out of 150 electorates nationally, the Sunshine Coast electorates of Fisher and Fairfax are both in the top 25 electorates with the most solar households.
“Our plan will support the 18,969 households in Fisher and the 15,060 households in Fairfax which already have solar installed, to add battery storage, as well as encouraging many more to install solar and battery storage.
“Battery storage allows solar energy to be stored for use at night and on rainy days, reducing demand in peak periods, which lowers electricity bills for everyone and reduces the need for costly grid upgrades to cater to high demand in peak periods,” Senator Waters said.
To encourage the take up of battery storage by Sunshine Coast households, the Greens will introduce a 50 per cent refundable tax credit for individuals to assist with the cost of household solar energy storage systems.
Individuals will get up to half the cost of their battery storage system covered, up to a maximum of $5000 in the first year of the program.
The program will run for five years and the amount of the credit will taper off to $1,500 by 2021, reflecting the projected decline in battery storage costs.
A grant scheme will also be available for those on low incomes. Up to 1.2 million homes could be supported nationally over the five years of the program.
Business investment in battery storage will be supported allowing battery storage assets to be depreciated for tax purposes over an accelerated period of 3 years. Up to 30,000 businesses could be supported by the measure.
Greens Candidate for Fisher, Tony Gibson, said the plan gave solar users more independence.
“With battery storage, households and businesses have more control over the solar power they generate, as they can store energy collected in the heat of the day to use when they need it most,” Mr Gibson said.
Greens Candidate for Fairfax, Sue Etheridge, said government support for battery storage existed in California, Japan, New York and Germany.
“Battery storage is taking off globally and here on the Sunshine Coast some households are already installing battery storage. We Greens want to put battery storage in reach for every Sunshine Coast household and business.
“Our battery storage plan would be funded by removing taxpayer-funded subsidies for fossil fuel companies and is part of our national clean-energy transition plan to create tens of thousands of new jobs and to act on global warming,” Ms Etheridge said.