Solar Citizens urges the Crisafulli government to enable Queensland to keep charging ahead as the clean energy state, by providing more win-win affordable cost-of-living energy solutions for all Queenslanders.
The clean energy advocacy group will present a set of policy recommendations in what they are calling the “Yellow Book” to the new Queensland Government on how energy bills can be reduced by leaning into the sunny state’s strengths in rooftop solar and consumer energy.
“We really are the ‘Sunshine State’ and it’s our greatest strength that we now have over 1 million homes with rooftop solar - the highest home solar (per capita) take-up rate in the country, and indeed the world,” said Solar Citizens Queensland Clean Energy Campaigner, Philippa England.
“But we’re not finished yet. Queensland has the potential to quadruple the amount of rooftop solar in the system from the current 3.96 Gigawatts (GW) to 12.5 GW. (Solar Citizens Rooftop Solar Potential report, 2024) - and that’s just on residential buildings!”
National Campaign Director Joel Pringle said: “The Crisafulli government needs a plan to meet the emission reduction targets that they helped legislate from opposition. The majority of Queensland households are showing the way, by reducing their energy bills with rooftop solar.
The Government needs to listen and continue Queensland’s solar success journey by making solar power accessible to every rooftop across Queensland.”
“Rooftop solar, backed by household batteries and other consumer energy resources (CER), is the fastest way to reduce household energy bills.
“Our ‘Yellow Book’ makes recommendations across five key areas. Most importantly we recommend the development of an Energy Bill Savings Scheme, to help Queensland families purchase household batteries, vehicle-to-grid charging infrastructure, and energy-efficient appliances.”
“Support to buy batteries will help rooftop solar owners store their power for use later in the day, saving them money and reducing daytime pressure on the energy grid. A popular battery rebate scheme has now run out and Queenslanders are missing out on this much-needed support.”
“We are also making a raft of recommendations to extend access to rooftop solar, batteries and EV charging to apartments, social housing, renters, and commercial properties and to develop ‘micro-grids’ in rural and remote areas.”
“These reforms will bring on the benefits of renewable energy for every Queenslander - saving them money and securing a cleaner, safer environment,” said Mr Pringle.
Media Contact: Carolin Wenzel 0434 983 633 [email protected]
DOWNLOAD THE YELLOW BOOK
RECOMMENDATIONS
Solar Citizens proposes five priority areas in need of support:
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A comprehensive strategy for CER: to drive a customer-focused energy transition as CER will lower the cost of the transition to renewable energy and bring down household energy bills.
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An Energy Bill Savings Scheme for households and small businesses: So Queensland’s households can maximise the value of their rooftop solar investment, provide subsidies for installation of household batteries, energy-efficient equipment and appliances.
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Extended access to CER in the built environment: The Yellow Book offers 15 recommendations for tailored measures to increase solar and energy efficiency uptake on rental properties, social housing, apartments, commercial and industrial buildings and in all new developments. Encouraging environmentally responsible use of reused or recycled panels.
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Energy resilience for regional and remote Queensland: Microgrids have the potential to play a major role in the future of energy supply in regional and remote parts of Queensland. Solar Citizens endorses the core objectives of the First Nations Clean Energy Strategy 2024-2030 and urges the Queensland Government to report on the progress and implementation of the Queensland Microgrid Pilot Fund with a view to rapidly expanding this Program.
- EV charging infrastructure for all Queenslanders: To encourage greater uptake of EVs to ensure the benefits of cheap-to-run, emissions-free, electric vehicles (EVs) are available to every Queenslander including in regional Queensland, the Yellow Book recommends:providing an additional $10 million for the EV infrastructure co-funding scheme; targeted support for commercial and industrial operators to develop solar canopies integrating rooftop solar, EV charging and shaded parking facilities in urban areas; adopting nationally consistent, enabling rules for vehicle-to-grid charging as soon as possible and including bidirectional EV charging equipment in the proposed Energy Bill Savings Scheme