Leader of the Opposition, Lia Finocchiaro, has today launched the CLP’s game changing subsidies for Territorians to purchase smart batteries, giving them double the battery subsidy being offered by Labor and doubling the tariff during peak times while simultaneously creating a Territory-first network of household batteries into a Virtual Power Plant.
“Unlike Labor which has cut incentives to invest in solar and punished everyday Territorians for supporting renewables, the CLP is revolutionising the way Territory households store and sell solar energy, starting with reinvesting the $12 million of Labor cuts to solar.
“Our plan creates big wins on three fronts: greater grid stability, lower cost of living pressures and a greener future for our kids.
“This is major renewable energy policy reform that Labor has been too narrow-minded to achieve, instead reverting to punishing Territorians for its own wasteful spending instead of putting in place the building blocks of the future.
“Our policy directly targets reducing cost of living pressures for Territorians, by delivering significantly reduced power bills, or scrapping power bills completely.
“A CLP Government I lead will fast-track the uptake of solar and reward Territorians for their investment in renewable energy.
“What is most exciting about the CLP’s Battery Bonus Scheme, is that it has the potential to save tens of millions of dollars per year because of the efficiencies it will create for power generation.
“That means less demand for new generators, less emissions from fossil fuels and an immediate safety net from system blacks.
“The CLP believes that if the government dips into the power stored by home batteries at peak usage times – then homeowners should be paid up to double the base Feed in Tariff (FiT).
A CLP government will:
- Increase the battery subsidy to $900 per kilowatt-hour, to a maximum of $12,000 for a 13.34 KWh battery – which is enough to power an average-sized home;
- Double the tariff for solar PV customers to a maximum of 20 cents per KWh, under a new time-of-day and high-demand usage tariff premium program; and
- Harness a network of individual household batteries into a Virtual Power Plant which will allow regulators to add extra power into the grid, decrease spinning reserve, increase efficiency and save money.
Our plan will:
- Help get more Territorians off the grid;
- Benefit the environment by reducing fossil fuel usage (lower spinning reserve);
- Reduce or remove power bills for homes and small businesses (under 75kW);
- Increase and incentivise additional solar battery uptake;
- Help stabilise the power grid; and
- Reduce power generation operating costs.
“Unlike Labor, which two years ago lied to and punished Territorians, the CLP wants to reward those who go green.
“We want to help get Territorians get off the grid, say goodbye to power bills and be part of a cleaner, greener future for our kids.
“Unlike Labor’s sneaky and punitive policy – everyone wins with the CLP,” said Mrs Finocchiaro.
ENDS