Up to 2000 regional and remote households in Western Australia will benefit from cheaper, cleaner solar on the back of a Federal and State government $19.9 million package.
The Federal government will help fund the WA Government's Kimberley Communities Solar Saver program, installing rooftop solar across five remote communities to deliver cheaper, cleaner energy to around 400 families.
This will allow solar to be installed on residential rooftops and distribute the benefits of renewables across the community, reducing reliance on expensive diesel generators.
It will also deliver critical savings of around $450 a year on their power bills.
The partnership, which includes $12.6m from the WA Government and $7.3m from the Commonwealth, will also provide a funding boost to the Sunshine Saver Program, helping a further 1600 regional households access cheaper, cleaner energy from centralised solar farms.
Renters and low-income families will be able to subscribe to Horizon Power's initiative to access the benefits of renewables and realise yearly savings of about $250.
The announcement is part of the Commonwealth's $100m Solar Banks commitment to deploy community-scale solar for more than 25,000 Australian households that have difficulty accessing solar like renters, low-income households and people living in apartments.
The funding will help First Nations communities in the Kimberley region, including Beagle Bay, Djarindjin-Lombadina, Ardyaloon, Bidyadanga and Warmun, as well as tenants and low-income households in regional West Australian towns.
These savings are in addition to the national Energy Price Relief Rebates, with eligible WA households saving up to $350.
"In Western Australia, 480,000 households are already reaping the benefits of household solar and this program helps more renters, low income households and First Nations communities share in the cost of living savings from clean energy," said Federal Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen.
"This new partnership with the WA Government delivers on our election commitment and will see regional and remote Western Australians gain access to cleaner and cheaper energy, saving hundreds on their power bills."
WA Energy Minister Bill Johnston said the partnership would allow regional and remote residents to access the benefits of solar, leading to a more equitable renewable energy future for all Australians.
