Victoria allocates $2.7 million for rooftop solar rebate program

“We’re helping more Victorians transition to all-electric homes – cutting their energy bills and investing in a renewable energy future,” said Victoria’s Minister for Energy and Resources, Lily D’Ambrosio. “The Residential Electrification Grants program is increasing solar adoption by expanding the reach and scope of the program to encourage innovation in solar energy.”

Victoria already has an ambitious solar installation program, the Solar Home project, a 10-year, $880 million program that aims to dramatically increase the state’s home solar capacity. The project aims to ensure that home solar makes up an eighth of the state’s renewable energy mix, which will account for 40% of the state’s total energy supply by next year.

Projects like these have propelled Australia to the forefront of the global rooftop solar sector. In 2023, Australian homes alone added 3.1GW of new rooftop solar capacity, and a Clean Energy Council (CEC) report found that rooftop solar alone would meet 14% of the country’s energy needs in the summer of 2022–23.

However, last month Australia recorded its lowest number of new rooftop solar installations since January, down 14% month-on-month from May. While this decline is believed to be a temporary anomaly, it highlights the importance of continued legislative support for new residential solar installations.