Home Energy Support Program available to low-income home owners: Shane Rattenbury

Pensioners and Department of Veteran Affairs Gold Card holders are among those eligible for the scheme launched on Thursday, with energy prices forecast to increase over coming months.

Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Shane Rattenbury said lower-income households tended to spend a higher proportion of their income on energy and were affected most by price rises.

Mr Rattenbury said, unlike the federal government's $250 cost-of-living-payment announced on Tuesday, the program was not a one-off cash boost.

"Households can save $1000 a year on their energy bills," he said.

"This is year after year of savings on energy bills that can make a real difference for those who struggle most."

Electricity prices are forecast to rise 4 per cent in the ACT in 2022-23, the most out of any state or territory.

Greater heating and cooler requirements mean ACT households still consume the most electricity of any jurisdiction, equal with Tasmania, despite consumption trending downward over the past four years.

Mr Rattenbury said energy prices were anticipated to fall from next year, pushed down by the introduction of new renewables into the system.

"They are the cheapest new form of electricity. They are reducing the cost of electricity," he said.

While the ACT has been powered by 100 per cent renewable electricity since 2019, meaning every watt of consumption is paid back through renewable investments, energy is purchased from the national network and prices variations are influenced by external pressures.

Mr Rattenbury said a range of factors, including the Hazelwood Power station closure and the pandemic, had contributed to the fluctuation in energy prices in the ACT.

"But the increase of renewables in the system will long-term reduce energy prices," he said.

The Home Energy Support Program will expand to include an additional rebate of up to $2500 for other energy-efficient products, including heating and cooling systems, insulation, and hot water heat pumps by mid-2022.

Eligible households can also apply for a zero-interest loan between $2000 and $15,000 for the purchase and installation of new solar systems.

More than 2500 homes in the ACT have had systems installed since the zero-interest loan program was launched mid last year.

It is part of a $50 million investment over four years to improve efficiency and sustainability of social and public housing, low-income owner occupiers and low-performing rental properties.

READ MORE:

Mr Rattenbury said initiatives requiring minimum efficiency standards for rental properties, with the aim of reducing bills for renters, would be rolled out in coming months.

"The government's energy and climate change programs are designed to ensure a just transition, supporting all ACT residents to have a more comfortable, affordable, and energy efficient home," he said.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: