Tasmania’s top suburbs for rooftop solar installations revealed as Labor promises home battery subsidy

The Tasmanian suburbs that would stand to benefit the most from a Labor pledge to subsidise the purchase of home batteries have been revealed.

New data has revealed the number of Tasmanian households that could benefit from Labor’s proposed home battery subsidy and how much they stand to save on energy bills.

About 60,000 Tasmanian households with rooftop solar could save up to $1200 a year on power bills under a federal Labor plan to subsidise the installation of home batteries, new data has revealed.

The figures obtained by the Mercury show that Launceston, Devonport, and Rosny are the suburbs with the most solar installations in Tasmania and therefore stand to see the greatest benefit from the election promise.

Launceston has by far the most installations with 5017, while Devonport has 2675, Rosny has 2367, Brighton has 1785, and Ulverstone has 1709.

Chris Bowen MP, Minister for Climate Change & Energy. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Labor’s $2.3bn policy would support households, small businesses, schools, and community facilities to maximise their energy savings by installing batteries to store solar energy.

Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen said if the ALP was re-elected, the Cheaper Home Batteries Program would begin from July 1 this year and reduce the cost of a typical installed battery by 30 per cent, equating to a saving of about $4000 for an 11.5 kWh battery.

According to analysis by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, an Australian household installing new solar and a battery system could save up to $2300 a year on energy costs by participating in the program.

This would equate to 90 per cent off a typical household electricity bill.

Launceston has the most rooftop solar installations of any suburb in the state. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui

While there are more than 4 million rooftop solar installations across the country, just one in forty households have a battery.

Mr Bowen said the battery subsidy would “put more Tasmanians in control of their energy bills, getting them down for good”.

“The sun doesn’t always shine – but households and businesses having batteries means we can keep solar energy on tap and keep energy bills down consistently,” he said.

Franklin Labor MP Julie Collins said the policy would be “good for the cost of living and good for our environment”.

TOP 10 TASMANIAN SUBURBS FOR SOLAR INSTALLATIONS:

1. Launceston - 5017 (31,166 kW)

2. Devonport - 2675 (16,568 kW)

3. Rosny - 2367 (13,829 kW)

4. Brighton - 1785 (10,244 kW)

5. Ulverstone - 1709 (10,279 kW)

6. Kingston - 1508 (8432 kW)

7. Hawley Beach - 1426 (8774 kW)

8. Claremont - 1326 (6458 kW)

9. Huonville - 1324 (7934 kW)

10. Burnie - 1299 (8687 kW)