Sustainable Household Scheme to begin this week: ACT government

The ACT government’s election promise to provide interest-free loans to install roof-top solar panels, household battery storage and hot-water heat pumps will begin this week.

ACT chief minister Andrew Barr announced the $150 million Sustainable Household Scheme in August before the territory’s elections last year.

Since then, more than 5000 households and 44 suppliers and installers have already registered their interest in the scheme which will offer interest-free loans of between $2000 and $15,000 to be repaid over 10 years.

The pilot program will be made available to a small group of Canberrans to “test and refine the system … before it opens to all eligible households and individuals in the coming months”, Mr Barr said.

Registered home-owners who will take part in a pilot program will need to have already completed an Actsmart workshop before the end of this month. The free workshop guides home-owners on how to save energy and money.

Interested suppliers and installers are invited to attend an information session on Thursday, June 24, 2021.

“The Sustainable Household Scheme is a key component of the government’s strategy to tackle climate change while supporting households to reduce their power bills and growing jobs in the renewable energy industry,” Mr Barr said.

Interested households, suppliers and installers can register their interest and access the guidelines online.

The scheme is just one of a few measures under the territory government’s climate-change initiatives, worth $307 million.

Other initiatives the government will implement is a $50 million Vulnerable Household Energy Support Initiative to improve building efficiency and sustainability for social and public housing, low-income owner-occupiers and low-performing rental properties; and the promise to make it easier for ACT households to receive better energy deals.