The Smart Energy Council was pleased to join Australian Greens Leader, Adam Bandt MP, Greens candidate for Ryan, Elizabeth Watson-Brown, and Smart Energy Council member Ian Gittus of UV Power, for the launch of their plan for Cheaper and Cleaner Power for Homes and Businesses.

The Greens’ Plan includes:

Grants for householders and business owners of up to $25,000 and loans of up to $100,000 to get homes and businesses off gas by electrifying; and

Grants of up to $10,000 and loans up to $50,000 for families and businesses to get solar batteries.

The Plan is expected to deliver an investment of $17.1 billion into electrifying Australian homes, $14.8 billion into electrifying small businesses and $12.6 billion into installing small scale batteries in homes and businesses over the decade.

The Smart Energy Council supports these policy measures.

Smart energy is critical to reducing the cost of living for all Australians. Everyone knows the best way to cut your power bill is to get solar and governments should be making it easier – not harder – for Australians to get solar and solar batteries.

We should be electrifying everything with renewables. That’s good for the wallet and for our climate.

It is important that any policy measures emphasise quality products installed by quality people, encouraging local jobs.

The Greens have also proposed the creation of a 100% publicly-owned non-profit electricity retailer. The repurposed retail division of Snowy Hydro, Power Australia, will offer all Australian businesses at-cost electricity.

You can find more information here.