Australian Government's Energy Efficient Homes Package

The Australian Government's Energy Efficient Homes Package is a $4 billion package to improve the energy rating of Australian homes - cutting their energy waste, making them more comfortable and helping home owners save up to 40 per cent on their electricity bills.

Under this program the Australian Government is offering:

• free ceiling insulation worth up to $1,200 to all Australian home owner-occupiers of currently uninsulated homes; or

• a $1,600 rebate on the costs of installing solar hot water systems

• help for renters, with a rebate for landlords on the costs of insulating their rental properties.

Insulating Australian Households Program - If you are a home owner-occupier, you may apply for the free ceiling insulation and you may also be eligible for the Low Emission Plan for Renters rebate.

Low Emission Plan for Renters - Landlords are eligible for a rebate under the Low Emission Plan for Renters and may also be eligible for either the free ceiling insulation for your own home or the rebate for solar hot water, depending on your needs.

Solar Hot Water Rebate - If you are a home owner, you may apply for a rebate for either your own home or tenanted rental property as well as the Low Emission Plan for Renters rebate.

Solar Hot Water Rebate

The Solar Hot Water Rebate component of the Australian Government's Energy Efficiency Homes Program provides rebates of $1,600 to eligible applicants to install solar and heat pump hot water systems in existing homes. The new hot water system must replace an electric storage hot water system which are the most greenhouse intensive of household hot water systems and generate the largest amount of greenhouse gas emissions.

The rebate encourages switching to alternative hot water technologies by addressing the up-front cost barriers to climate friendly systems, which also deliver low operating costs for the household.

The rebate is to help households replace existing electric storage hot water systems. Rebates are not available for replacing older solar or gas hot water systems.

Who is eligible?

Applicants for the rebate must be the owner or tenant of the dwelling where the system was installed. The application process is simple and straightforward and is completed at the time the new hot water system is being installed.

Free Ceiling Insulation

Under this program the Australian Government is offering free ceiling insulation worth up to $1,600 to all Australian home owner-occupiers of currently uninsulated homes; or a $1,600 rebate on the costs of installing solar hot water systems. There is also help for renters, with a rebate for landlords on the costs of insulating their rental properties.

Insulation is the simplest, most effective and cheapest way to make your house more energy efficient and keep it cooler in summer and warmer in winter. The Government estimates that up to 40 per cent of Australian homes are not insulated.

Who is eligible?

You are eligible for free ceiling insulation if you:

• are a home owner-occupier - that is, you live in your own home
• don't already have ceiling insulation
• are installing insulation in an existing home on or after 3 February 2009 (excludes new homes or extensions to existing homes)
• are an Australian citizen or permanent resident aged 18 years or over.
  Insulation Service
• have not been granted assistance under the Australian Government's solar hot water rebate program since the rebate was increased to $1600 on 3rd February 2009.