As part of their election commitments, the Greens have pledged to kick off programs to support community-based renewables.
The party has announced a $265.2m initiative to support community-owned renewable energy projects across Australia. The initiative comprises three elements; a $150 million Community Energy Powerhouses Start-Up fund, a $102.9 Solar Communities fund, and a further $2 million in annual funding for Community Power Networks.
Community Energy Powerhouses aims to see 50 renewable energy project up and running with up to two years of operational funding.
The Solar Communities Fund will enable community groups, schools and other local institutions to invest in solar and storage.
Annual Community Power Networks funding will help facilitate the exchange of information between community clean power groups relating to business models, insights and strategies.
Another incentive under the initiative sees households and businesses being eligible for tax free profits resulting from their investment in community owned clean energy.
“For example, a group of residents whose homes do not receive much direct sunlight might come together and approach a local car park operator to put a solar farm on the roof of the cark park – the business owner gets a fee and the cooperative gets paid for clean energy going into the grid,” state the Greens.
Funding for the initiative would be sourced from redirecting existing Solar Towns funding and other savings including the abolition of fossil fuel subsidies.
“The Greens want Australia to become a renewable energy powerhouse,” said the party’s energy spokesperson, Adam Bandt.
“Not everyone is able to put solar on their home but by investing in community-owned renewable projects they are still able to be part of the solar revolution.”
The Greens have also committed to bring Australia’s electricity market rules kicking and screaming into the 21st century.
“Our energy market and regulatory environment is both complex and outdated. A part of the Greens plan to modernise our electricity system, we will also be reforming the regulatory environment to make it fit for the technological revolution that is happening around it.”
Last month, the Greens unveiled a $2.85 billion energy storage policy that would provide a 50 per cent tax credit on residential battery storage system purchases.
In November last year, the party released a plan to transition the nation to at least 90% renewable energy by 2030.
