The Hillwood Football Club, the Trevallyn Bowls Club and the Tam O’Shanter Golf Club in Bass will benefit from Solar Communities Program grants with lower electricity bills and a smaller carbon footprint if the Turnbull Government is re-elected.
Member for Bass, Andrew Nikolic, said the Government’s Solar Communities Program will provide benefits for groups across Australia to install rooftop solar PV, solar hot water and battery storage systems for community-owned buildings.
These latest round of Solar Communities Program grants in Bass total $40,271:
The Hillwood Football Club will be able to install a 10.1 kW solar panel system and expects to save about $2,400 a year on its power costs.
At the Trevallyn Bowls Club, a 5.72kW solar panel system with associated works will save members nearly $2,000 a year.
The Tam O’Shanter Golf Club will be able to install a 9.88kW system which would save an estimated $3,600 a year on their energy bill of approximately $10,000.
“Electricity is a substantial cost for sporting clubs and savings made on operating costs helps to put money back into facilities and better services for members, visiting sports men and women and the wider community,” Mr Nikolic said.
“Unlike Labor, the Coalition is committed to tackling climate change without hiking up power bills for community groups, families and businesses and putting Australian jobs at risk.”
“And the Coalition is also committed to supporting community groups with our expanded Solar Communities program.
“Under the Turnbull Government, half a million households and businesses have already made the switch to solar,” Mr Nikolic said.
Minister for the Environment, Greg Hunt, said Australia has the highest proportion of households with solar panels in the world – about 15 per cent.
The Australian Government’s Renewable Energy Target provides for an average rebate for a solar system of $3000, or about 30 per cent of the installation cost.
“We have also established a $250 million Community Housing Program to help lower costs for low income families and residents through the construction of up to 1,000 new energy efficiency homes,” Mr Hunt said.
“We have established a $1 billion Clean Energy Innovation Fund to support the latest technology which will transform our renewable energy use over the coming decade.”
Mr Hunt said only the Coalition is committed to tackling climate change without a job-destroying carbon tax.