While some parts of the country have been obsessing with the distractions of nuclear energy – Stan Krpan in Victoria has been getting on with business.
Namely, the amazing transformation of the solar energy industry in Victoria. In a briefing last week, Krpan told The Fifth Estate that his Solar Victoria outfit, where he has been chief executive officer for five years, had now serviced 350,000 customers across solar panels, batteries and heat pumps. The work was going “gangbusters”, growing 500 per cent “year on year”, he said, citing the words of Victorian Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio.
In a slight (useful) twinge of that old two-state rivalry, Krpan generously noted that New South Wales had for the first time beaten Victoria with the number of heat pumps installed last year “for the first time” but that Victoria would soon regain that title if the activity since the start of this year was any guide.
“PVs started the year off with (the carryover of) a strong record in December, and February was the biggest year on record. So we expect that 2024 will be back to 2021 levels,” he said.
The state’s agency had also written more than $250 million no-interest loans for photo-voltaic installations and loans and was now “basically a bank”, he said.
“Customers love the interest free aspect.” Which also applies to batteries up to the value of $8800.
“It’s worked really well with industry and customers. And obviously, with electricians, it’s a really big deal.”
In a call for expressions of interest for Solar Victoria’s Residential Electrification Grants there were 45 responses from builders, developers and others to bring homes beyond 7 star NatHERS standards, calling for up to $100m in funding.
“It’s a $10 million program, so it was oversubscribed, and we are currently going through our evaluation and due diligence phase,” he said.
No more new gas connections
Another spur for the development industry was that the state government had implemented its mooted ban on new gas connections.
Apartments
Apartments have not been left out of the picture.
In another project – a 50:50 program with the federal government to retrofit apartments in a program worth $16 million for up to 5000 apartments – there have been 100 applications for individual apartments by building owners corporations covering more than 1000 apartments.
That program offers up to $2880 for each apartment in rebates and up to $140,000 for entire buildings.
Eligible buildings are those of up to eight storeys and a maximum of 50 apartments, with possible incentives of up to 100 per cent of the cost of installing solar for both owner occupiers and tenants.
Krpan is also pleased that the work the agency has done has resulted in “one of the richest data sets” around. It throws light on consumer demographics, expectations and plans – helpful for working out how to manage behaviour change, he said, with questions such as “What interests you; what concerns you?’”
But the wide open opportunity now, he says, is business.
Small business owners often have solar panels at home but say they spend most of the day at work, where the business consumes much more energy yet doesn’t yet have solar!