News & Views

In the latest offering from the Victorian government’s Solar Homes package, 60,000 owner occupier Victorian households can now claim up to $1,000 rebate on solar hot water systems.

The rebate can be applied retrospectively to systems installed on or after 19 August 2018 and applies to installations that replace an existing hot water system that was at least three years old (from the date of purchase).
 

To be eligible, households must have a maximum combined income of no more than $180,000 and a house valued at no more than $3 million. Households that have already installed the government’s half price rooftop solar offer are ineligible for solar hot water.
 

All solar hot water systems subsidised under this package must be on the Clean Energy Regulator’s Register of solar hot water heaters and the Victorian Essential Services Commission Registered Products list.
The installer must hold a current Class A Electrical License issued by Energy Safe Victoria and a prescribed Certificate of Electrical Safety supplied to the householder, which has been certified by a licensed inspector registered with Energy Safe Victoria.  The plumber must provide a certificate of compliance to the householder.
 

The Andrews Labor Government said the rebate for solar hot water systems could reduce the energy costs of households by between $160 and $400, annually.   “This rebate means households who can’t install solar panels still have options available to them to drive down their energy costs.”
 

“We’re not wasting a second rolling out our landmark Solar Homes package – driving down household bills and delivering on our renewable energy target.” said state energy minister Lily D’Ambrosio.
 

Since August last year 7000 households have installed rooftop solar under the solar panel rebate.  The rebate is available as part of the Labor Government’s landmark Solar Homes package, which will deliver solar hot water systems to 60,000 homes, solar electricity panels to 700,000 homes – including 50,000 rental properties – and solar batteries to 10,000 homes.
 

A full list of registered products and further information on applying for the solar hot water rebate can be found at solar.vic.gov.au/hot-water-rebate.