2016-06-15
The Greens today outlined their vision for solar on every Queensland roof, including rented homes, to drive down power bills.
Qld Senator Larissa Waters and Australian Greens Deputy Leader said:
“We Greens will use our numbers in the Parliament to push to make solar accessible for everyone.
“Currently about one in every 100 rental properties has solar panels installed compared to one in five owner-occupied homes.
“This means that of the roughly 513,000 rental properties in Queensland, only about 5000 would have solar.
“Solar reduces power bills for everyone by decreasing peak demand on the grid and pushing out expensive polluting power.
“While solar reduces bills for everyone, it means even lower power bills for solar households, so we need to make solar more accessible for renters, who tend to have lower incomes than homeowners.
“Many people can’t afford the up-front costs of installing solar power so the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, which the Greens established while in the balance of power, is working with energy companies to offer solar installations with no upfront costs.
“The installation costs are paid off by households over time with the savings on their power bills.
“We would push in the Parliament for the national harmonisation of state laws to give tenants a ‘right to solar’, allowing them to apply for no up-front cost solar and ensuring that a landlord cannot unreasonably refuse.
“The Greens would also deliver a $5 million information campaign to reach out to those who want solar but cannot afford the installation costs so that they can access the scheme through the Clean Energy Finance Corporation.
“We Greens will also work to reform rules governing body corporates so that people living in apartments can benefit from shared solar.
“By providing solar with no upfront costs and changing the rules so that renters and apartment owners can benefit from solar we can really live up to our name as the Sunshine State with solar on every roof,” Senator Waters said.
The Greens’ policy for solar on every roof is here: http://greens.org.au/solar