The ACT Budget is making significant investments to help the ACT have a more sustainable future.
The ACT Budget is making significant investments in the government’s award-winning Sustainable Household Scheme as well as a range of other projects to help the ACT reach its target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.
Sustainable Household Scheme
The next phase of the Sustainable Household Scheme will provide much-needed cost of living support for Canberrans.
The latest round of zero interest loans of up to $15,000 will help households move away from fossil fuel gas by upgrading their heating and cooling, hot water heat pumps, stove tops and electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, battery storage systems, and ceiling insulation.
In the next phase, eligibility for solar panels under the Scheme will be rolled back and restricted to homeowners who most need government support.
Since September 2021, the scheme has assisted almost 13,000 households with the up-front costs of making their homes more sustainable, allowing Canberrans to improve the comfort of their homes and reduce their energy bills.
The scheme was the first of its kind to make energy efficiency upgrades affordable and accessible for households and community organisations, and has been an overwhelming success to date, with $100m invested in solar since 2021.
$70m for an electric government
In line with its policy to phase out fossil-fuel gas, the ACT Government will lead by example, investing almost $70 million to electrify government owned and operated buildings.
The project will replace gas with electric heating and hot water systems across a range of government buildings such as our schools, hospitals, emergency services and government offices.
This significant government commitment is expected to stimulate the commercial upgrades industry in Canberra as the government electrifies its extensive list of properties.
The first electrification upgrades will occur at Manuka Pool, Weetangera Primary School and the Gungahlin Joint Emergency Services Centre.
EV charging network, Big Battery, Expanded Home Energy Support Program
Further investment in the Big Canberra Battery project will also help the ACT Government reach its ambitious emissions reduction goal through both large and small-scale to neighbourhood-scale batteries to help power ACT homes and businesses.
The ACT Budget broadens the cohort of vulnerable households that can receive rebates through the Home Energy Support Program. From 1 July 2023, homeowners who hold a Health Care Card will now be eligible to access the program. Low-income homeowners with a Pensioner Concession Card, a Veterans Gold Card, and now a Health Care Card, can access a 50% rebate up to $2,500 to install rooftop solar, and an additional 50% rebate up to $2,500 to install energy efficient products.
The budget also provides further investment to expand the public EV charging network to help achieve 180 public EV chargers by 2025 and support the transition to zero emissions vehicles.
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