While we love solar at Energetic Communities, all energy performance and electrification programs and policy must follow the Energy Hierarchy
Principles for Models and Programs for Consumer Energy Resources (CER) on Rental Properties
The following principles we arrived to after seeing questionable business models, some well-meaning, in 2019. Everyone should be able to have efficient, climate resilient and healthy homes that are affordable to run, through improved energy performance – efficiency, electrification, solar (arguably batteries, but likely EVs taking prominance in the future).Government and commercial solar for rentals business models and programs and need to be fair!
Short Version
- Benefits Tenants: is affordable, reduces overall costs and has consumer protections
- Transparent: clearly explained, tenants know what they’re signing up to, minimises locked in contracts, tenants supported by local energy hubs for advice
- Agency: tenants have the real ability to request solar and other CER (with out fear of eviction for asking, for example)
- Accessible: CER is accessible to all, but assistance targeted to those who need it
Click here for a details of these principles
Supercharged Solar for Renters
As an election commitment the LNP announced a Supercharged Solar for Renters program where landlords will be offered a $3,500 subsidy to install panels on their rental properties.
This is key to make the transition fairer and is a great initiative! If done well, with the benefits shared with the tenants (which isn’t guaranteed), this could save some tenants hundreds of dollars!
This is a key portfolio commitment for the new Treasurer, Minister for Energy and Minister for Home Ownership, David Janetzki MP (as stated in his Charter Letter), to:
“Work with the Minister for the Environment and Tourism and Minister for Science and Innovation, to undertake the Supercharged Solar for Renters scheme, to provide landlords with grants up to $3500 to install solar panels on rental properties and drive down electricity bills for tenants across Queensland.”
We are super excited by this, but the funding allocated to this program is unclear and therefore how many houses would be eligible for this subsidy is also unknown. We have of course had a solar for renters trial before in 2019-2020, but that was only 670 lucky households in 3 local government areas – we clearly need greater ambition!
It is also unclear what measures or conditions will be included to keep the house in the rental market, ensuring the tenants get the benefits, or prevent the impact of door knocking sales. We look forward to more detail on the announcement, including detail of protections or mechanisms put in place to ensure the benefits are actually passed onto renters while the property is rented out, while also contributing to emission.