A $150 million interest-free loans scheme for eligible households to pay for energy efficiency upgrades, including solar panels and battery storage units, will open for applications on Wednesday.
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The expansion of the scheme, which the ACT government is positioning as a key part of its climate change response, will make loans of up to $15,000 available following an earlier small trial.
The ACT government will also fund an extra $63 million in initiatives over four years designed to help lower emissions in the territory and improve climate resilience, including funding for a slew of programs it believes will be able to reduce emissions in the public sector.
The ACT budget includes funding for work to reduce emissions at the ACT government's Callam Offices in Woden, along with allocations for biodiversity, invasive species, climate adaptation and environmental offsets programs.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the budget investment was designed to reduce emissions across the government sector, households and protect the territory from the emerging and ongoing threats of climate change.
"The sustainable household scheme will provide more Canberra households with the opportunity to share in the benefits of sustainable technologies to make their homes more efficient," Mr Barr, who is also the Climate Action Minister, said.
"It is a cornerstone program of our climate action agenda over the next four years."
Water and Emissions Reduction Minister Shane Rattenbury said responding to the climate emergency was one of the ACT government's top priorities.
"To help households cut energy costs and keep comfortable in extreme heat and cold, we're investing in energy efficiency upgrades for public housing and low income households, and will continue to support low income home owners to install solar panels," Mr Rattenbury said.
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Initiatives in the budget's climate change package include $15.3 million to reduce emissions from the ACT government's Callam Offices in Woden and $12.8 million for the Emergency Services Agency to add nine zero-emissions vehicles to its fleet.
The ACT government will also continue the solar for low income scheme, at a cost of $3.1 million, to help low-income earners install solar systems, with subsidies through the sustainable households scheme.
There will also be $5 million spent over four years on the community clubs building energy efficiency fund, with rebates of up to $75,000 for community clubs to make their premises more efficient, reduce energy bills and become less reliant on poker-machine revenue.
The healthy waterways program, which is targeted to improve water quality and the ecosystems in Canberra's lakes, rivers and creeks, will receive a $5 million boost.
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Jasper Lindell
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
