How does your electorate rank for solar? What about the ranking of your 2016 Federal Election candidates and their party’s policies on renewables? There’s a very quick and easy way to find out.
Solar Scorecard, a project of Solar Citizens, can tell you how your federal electorate ranks on rooftop solar installations compared to 150 electorates across the nation.
All that’s required is to type in your suburb or postcode.
As well as a nation-wide ranking, the application shows the number of solar voters in the electorate, how much they are saving on electricity bills each year by using solar, the amount of clean energy produced, carbon emissions avoided and the collective investment made.
Additionally, the electorate’s MP and candidates are displayed, along with a score for their respective parties.
The solar scorecard for each electorate can be easily shared with the relevant local MP and candidates; along with additional commentary from the user.
Solar Citizens is calling on all parties and candidates to commit to an Australian powered by 100% renewable electricity by 2030. It’s not just a call, the group has also shown how this can be achieved through its Homegrown Power Plan. They’ve even made it a simple task to send the plan to your local MP.
Recent renewable energy election commitments from various parties include The Greens’ huge community solar and battery subsidy pledges and Labor’s $100 million program for community renewables. The Turnbull Government has committed to creating a $5 million Solar Communities programme.
Recently we reported on a poll indicating 71% of Australian voters would consider giving their vote to a party that supported distributed small-scale solar and storage.
A Reachtel poll in May indicated 64% of Australians are inclined to vote for a party with a goal of 100% renewables for Australia. An earlier Essential poll reported 63% of Australians would be more likely to vote for party that would ensure solar panels were installed on every suitable rooftop and 60% would vote for a policy assisting Australians to purchase battery systems.
Solar Citizens, which was originally launched in 2013 with the support of Energy Matters, aims to bring together existing and future Australian solar owners; with an ultimate goal of seeing solar panels on every suitable rooftop in the nation.
Trivia: In every federal electorate in Queensland, there are more solar voters than the number of voters required to change the sitting member.
