The Victorian Government’s Solar Homes program is continuing to drive Victoria’s transition to more affordable household energy, with 46,000 installations of solar PV, solar hot water and solar batteries completed across Victoria since the program’s launch.

Member for Wendouree, Juliana Addison, today visited the home of 85-year-old Dulcie Corbett to release new data showing that over 1,700 households in Ballarat and district have had solar systems installed.

Solar Homes is delivering a pipeline of cleaner, cheaper energy in every corner of the state, with over 62,000 applications for solar panels, solar hot water and solar batteries so far secured by Victorian households.

Victorians living in regional and rural Victoria are embracing the transition to renewables, with figures showing 42% of rebate applications secured by households outside of Melbourne.

In the wider Ballarat region, there have been 1,751 installations across the Wendouree, Buninyong and Ripon electorates.

Ms Addison said Solar Homes is reducing energy bills for families most in need of relief, with 69 per cent of solar rebates going to households with incomes of less than $104,000.

“Solar Homes is helping local families in Ballarat and Western Victoria to take control of their energy bills and save hundreds each year,” she said.

“The latest figures show that Solar Homes has been very popular in Ballarat, which also means our region is playing a part in Victoria’s efforts to reduce emissions and tackle climate change,” Ms Addison said.

Ms Corbett said the installation of solar has led to big savings for her household budget.

“I’m so pleased with my solar panels. They’ve made a read difference to my power bills and I also feel like I’m doing something positive for the environment,” Ms Corbett said.

Since July 1^st, the Solar Homes program has been speedily converting solar PV rebate applications into installations with most applications approved and installations completed within the month they are allocated to the customer.

Solar Homes is driving a 46% increase in the uptake of solar PV across the state, with residential installations in 2019 on track to deliver solar panels to 60,000 households, compared to about 41,000 installations in 2018.

Electorates in Western Victoria have all embraced the program including:

• Wendouree 726.
• Buninyong 524
• Ripon 501.
• South West Coast 424.
• Polwarth 366.
• Lowan 337.