Solar hot water rebate opens for applications in Victoria

Victorian households can claim up to $1,000 rebate on solar hot water systems as of this week, in the latest offering from the state government’s Solar Homes package.
In a statement on Monday, the Andrews Labor government said the solar hot water rebate could save households between $160 and $400 a year, and offer an alternative path to home energy savings to households unsuited to rooftop PV.
The newly available offer, which can also be applied retrospectively to systems installed on or after 19 August 2018, is open to up to 60,000 owner occupiers.
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 tapped the government’s half price rooftop solar offer are ineligible for solar hot water.
The government also stresses that all solar hot water systems installed under the subsidised scheme must be completed by fully licensed plumbers and electricians, be approved by the Clean Energy Regulator, and feature on the registered products list of the Victorian Essential Services Commission.
A Certificate of Electrical Safety, certified by a licensed inspector registered with Energy Safe must also be provided, and a certificate of compliance must be provided to the household by the plumber.
“We’re putting solar panels and hot water systems on Victorian homes to help families save hundreds of dollars a year on their electricity bills,” said state energy minister Lily D’Ambrosio in comments on Monday.
“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.”
As we have reported, the government’s rebate for rooftop solar has been hugely popular in the state, with nearly 7,000 installs notched up by the end of January since the launched of the $1.2 billion scheme in August last year.
And the separate home battery subsidy, which was announced in September of last year – just weeks before the Andrews government secured another term with a crushing victory at the state poll – will provide $40 million in rebates for up to 10,000 homes, based on the size of the battery. Some households will get up to $4,838.
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.