SOLAR HOT WATER REBATE SCHEME

In reply to Mr WILLIAMS (MacKillop—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (7 October 2010).

The Hon. P.F. CONLON (Elder—Minister for Transport, Minister for Infrastructure, Minister for Energy): I have been advised:

The South Australian solar hot water rebate scheme currently provides a $500 rebate to low income households to help them meet the requirements of South Australia's water heater installation requirements that were introduced on 1 July 2008.

In the 2010-11 State Budget, the Treasurer announced that as a budget savings measure, the state solar hot water rebate will finish on 30 June 2013.

While no specific modelling was done on the impact of closing the solar hot water rebate scheme, modelling was done prior to the introduction of the water heater standards in July 2008 that indicated that the higher capital cost is subsequently paid back by reduced running costs. DTEI also provided me with details on the number of rebates paid since the program began plus the relative costs of various types of complying hot water systems.