The Territory and federal governments have committed to a $4.7m agreement to boost solar uptake in the NT.

Announced in July, after a similar scheme last year, the Northern Territory government will implement two solar schemes funded through the Australian government’s Community Solar Banks program.

The first scheme supports apartment complexes to install shared rooftop solar systems – potentially slashing power bills by up to $500 a year for about 300 Territory households.

Applications will soon be open for the first round of the scheme, with grants of up to $7500 per dwelling or apartment offered to eligible Body Corporates to support up to half of the cost of installing a shared solar PV system.

Ben Hassall, director of No Hassall’s Electrical, said the schemes helped his business by promoting solar uptake across the NT.

“It’s one of the best ways to reduce your cost of living,” he said, estimating the average cost of a system between $15,000 to $20,000, including rebates.

He said demand for solar had remained steady despite solar tariff incentives being reduced two years ago.

Renewables and Energy Minister Kate Worden hoped the schemes would incentivise solar for those in high density blocks.

“I can be very difficult for individuals to get permission through body corporates, particularly in the larger complexes, to have single roof solar, we know that the uptake has been really low in those body corporate areas,” she said.

The second scheme is a new $2.35 million NT Community Solar Share initiative which will be launched later in the year and will see new solar systems installed on Territory government buildings with the revenue generated used to support vulnerable electricity consumers across the Territory.

The NT government will work with its government-owned energy corporations and private retailers to implement the program which will target around $300 of bill relief to approximately 700 vulnerable households across the Territory each year.

These schemes are on top of the Community Service Obligation.

Source: NT News