The Government’s innovative Energy Saver Loan Scheme continues to be enthusiastically embraced by Tasmanians.
The Energy Saver Loan scheme is providing interest-free loans of between $500 and $10,000 over three years to private residential customers, small business customers and landlords of residential rental properties to invest in energy efficient products to help lower their electricity bills.
“Eligible products include rooftop solar panels, battery storage, heat pumps, energy efficient appliances, double glazing and insulation,’’ Minister Barnett said.
“As at last Friday there had been 471 applications with 393 approved to a value of $3.3 million with 71 installations already completed.
“There are currently 65 vendors approved to complete the work and seven of the top 10 for winning the contracts are Tasmanian companies, which is a fabulous result,’’ he said.
For more information on the scheme go to: brighte.com.au/tas-energy-saver-loan-scheme/ or you can phone 1300 274 448.
The Rockliff Liberal Government is also helping larger businesses by establishing a new $50 million loan scheme for commercial and industrial customers that are, due to their higher energy use, unable to access the existing Energy Saver Loan Scheme.
This new scheme, which is currently being designed and will be consulted on with business groups will make available no-interest loans up to $10,000 to approved eligible businesses, including farmers, with the option to apply for further low-interest loans up to $50,000 for three years.
We want this new scheme to make a real difference to the way businesses run their operations, so we will also investigate partnering with a range of businesses to support them to undertake energy efficiency audits of their operations to help inform their applications.
The Rockliff Liberal Government has also backed an energy relief plan, proposed on Friday at National Cabinet.
The plan will take a similar approach to the Tasmanian Government’s Bill Buster scheme, providing targeted energy bill relief for households and businesses.
Treasurers will meet over the coming weeks to work through the details of the package, which will commence in the second quarter of 2023.
Tasmania continues to be the envy of the nation with our 100 per cent self-sufficiency in renewable energy and a legislated target to be 200 per cent by 2040.
Hydro Tasmania is playing a key role in this renewables transformation and today they are taking another step for clean energy on King Island with a $4.5 million solar farm to replace about 300,000 litres of diesel used on the island every year.
The 1.5MW solar installation will be on the site of King Island’s Huxley Hill Wind Farm and Hydro Tasmania aims to offset an additional 800 tonnes of CO2 per year.
Adding more solar to the system allows Hydro Tasmania to diversify its renewables generation portfolio on the King Island.
Construction on the King Island solar farm is expected to commence early next year pending approvals, with the solar farm installed and generating power for homes, farms, and businesses in early 2023.
More Media Releases from Guy Barnett
More Media Releases from the Minister for Energy and Renewables