Melbourne’s outer suburbs are leading Victoria’s household solar boom – slashing their energy bills by hundreds of dollars each year thanks to the Andrews Labor Government’s $1.3 billion Solar Homes Program.

Tarneit, Craigieburn, Point Cook, Clyde North and Truganina are the top five metropolitan Melbourne solar suburbs, accessing the most solar rebates since the Solar Homes Program began in 2018.

Nearly 10 per cent of all Solar Homes installations have been in these five suburbs alone.

Sunny northern Victoria leads the charge among regional areas, with Mildura the top regional solar city, followed by Shepparton, Wodonga, Wangaratta and Wallan.

The nation-leading Solar Homes Program has helped more than 200,000 Victorians install solar technologies, saving these households an average of $1,073 each year in electricity costs.

The Labor Government has directly invested nearly $390 million to subsidise the installation of solar panels, solar hot water and solar batteries, since the Solar Homes Program began.

Eligible Victorian homeowners and rental providers can apply for rebates of $1400 to install solar panels, with the option of an interest free $1400 loan, and a further $1000 rebate for the installation of solar hot water.

Households that install both solar panels and solar hot water or an energy efficient heat pump can save up to $1,473 each year in electricity costs.

Rebates to install a solar battery are also available to households that have not previously claimed a Solar Homes rebate.

Solar Victoria customer surveys revealed 71 per cent of respondents would not have installed solar if it weren’t for the government rebates.

In less than four years, the Governments Solar Homes Program has already cut Victoria’s carbon emissions by 750,000 tonnes – the equivalent of taking nearly 200,000 cars off the road.

The Government is also helping even more Victorian businesses to cut their energy bills, with up to $8,500 off the upfront cost of a solar system installation through the Solar for Business Program.

For further information, including eligibility criteria, go to solar.vic.gov.au

Quotes attributable to Minister for Solar Homes Lily D’Ambrosio

“Our Solar Homes Program is driving down the cost of living for Victorian households and reducing emissions.”

“Solar Homes customers are well positioned to absorb energy bill rises in energy costs, by time-setting appliances to run during the day when solar systems are operating at their peak.”

“Household solar puts the power back into the hands of Victorian households, while helping meet our target of halving emissions by 2030 and supporting 5,500 clean energy jobs.”