Federal agency directed to consider home solar funding
Mr Bowen has used ministerial powers to direct the board to consider funding solar panels and home batteries following a deal struck with crossbenchers in exchange for support on Labor's Future Made in Australia legislation.
The agency has to look at funding a project in every state and territory, including at least one in an Indigenous community and one in a low socio-economic area.
They would be modelled off the North Wollongong community electrification testbed funded by the renewable energy agency in 2024.
Projects will still be subject to a final independent assessment by the agency's board.
It will allow chosen suburbs to act as test beds for the regulatory changes needed to scale up renewable energy use and scope out how government support can help achieve electrification, independent senator David Pocock said.
"In this cost-of-living crisis one of the highest impact, non-inflationary things governments can do is to help households electrify and deliver thousands in permanent power bill relief," Senator Pocock said.
The Future Made in Australia legislation, which leverages billions of dollars to invest in renewable energy and critical resources needed for such technology, missed an opportunity to support household electrification, Senator Pocock said.
"This agreement helps remedy that gap," he said.
The renewable energy agency has helped fund more than 660 projects to the tune of $2.25 billion, ranging from early-stage research and prototyping to later-stage developments.
The minister wrote to the agency in late 2024 but only revealed the direction on Tuesday.
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