❓ Hon Bill Stretch questions the WA government's solar hot water subsidy policy, highlighting perceived discrimination against rural residents. The Minister defends the policy based on emissions reduction and support for local manufacturers.
AnsweredQoN 417Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Can the Minister explain to the House why a solar hot water system installed in a new house can be boosted by either gas or electricity and attract a State Government subsidy, whereas an identical solar hot water system installed in an existing house must be gas powered in order to attract that subsidy?
(2) Does the Minister realise that this policy discriminates against rural and regional residents who mostly can only connect to electric power for the booster systems, or use bottled gas which can have its own problems?
(3) If yes, will the Minister take steps to redress this imbalance?
(4) If not, why not?
(2) Does the Minister realise that this policy discriminates against rural and regional residents who mostly can only connect to electric power for the booster systems, or use bottled gas which can have its own problems?
(3) If yes, will the Minister take steps to redress this imbalance?
(4) If not, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
20 March 2002
Responded by
Minister for Housing and Works representing the Minister for Energy
Response time
27 days
The purpose of the subsidy program is twofold: • to reduce greenhouse gas emissions resulting from heating water; and • to support the local solar hot water heater manufacturing industry. The subsidy is given more widely to gas boosted solar hot water systems because they result in much less greenhouse gas emissions than efficient gas, solar boosted electric or regular electric water heaters. The subsidy is given to first-home buyers for a new home because they rarely purchase solar hot water heaters of any type and this subsidy provides support to local manufacturers. There is a commitment for the subsidy to be reviewed after it has been running for twelve months. (2) The policy does not discriminate against rural and regional residents. Gas boosted solar water heaters can run on bottled gas. They use very little gas and the cost of running them on bottled gas is still cheaper than the alternative, electric instantaneous or storage heaters. (3) Not applicable. (4) Not applicable.
• to reduce greenhouse gas emissions resulting from heating water; and • to support the local solar hot water heater manufacturing industry. The subsidy is given more widely to gas boosted solar hot water systems because they result in much less greenhouse gas emissions than efficient gas, solar boosted electric or regular electric water heaters. The subsidy is given to first-home buyers for a new home because they rarely purchase solar hot water heaters of any type and this subsidy provides support to local manufacturers. There is a commitment for the subsidy to be reviewed after it has been running for twelve months. (2) The policy does not discriminate against rural and regional residents. Gas boosted solar water heaters can run on bottled gas. They use very little gas and the cost of running them on bottled gas is still cheaper than the alternative, electric instantaneous or storage heaters. (3) Not applicable. (4) Not applicable.
The subsidy is given more widely to gas boosted solar hot water systems because they result in much less greenhouse gas emissions than efficient gas, solar boosted electric or regular electric water heaters. The subsidy is given to first-home buyers for a new home because they rarely purchase solar hot water heaters of any type and this subsidy provides support to local manufacturers. There is a commitment for the subsidy to be reviewed after it has been running for twelve months. (2) The policy does not discriminate against rural and regional residents. Gas boosted solar water heaters can run on bottled gas. They use very little gas and the cost of running them on bottled gas is still cheaper than the alternative, electric instantaneous or storage heaters. (3) Not applicable. (4) Not applicable.
The subsidy is given to first-home buyers for a new home because they rarely purchase solar hot water heaters of any type and this subsidy provides support to local manufacturers. There is a commitment for the subsidy to be reviewed after it has been running for twelve months. (2) The policy does not discriminate against rural and regional residents. Gas boosted solar water heaters can run on bottled gas. They use very little gas and the cost of running them on bottled gas is still cheaper than the alternative, electric instantaneous or storage heaters. (3) Not applicable. (4) Not applicable.
There is a commitment for the subsidy to be reviewed after it has been running for twelve months. (2) The policy does not discriminate against rural and regional residents. Gas boosted solar water heaters can run on bottled gas. They use very little gas and the cost of running them on bottled gas is still cheaper than the alternative, electric instantaneous or storage heaters. (3) Not applicable. (4) Not applicable.
(2) The policy does not discriminate against rural and regional residents. Gas boosted solar water heaters can run on bottled gas. They use very little gas and the cost of running them on bottled gas is still cheaper than the alternative, electric instantaneous or storage heaters. (3) Not applicable. (4) Not applicable.
(3) Not applicable. (4) Not applicable.
(4) Not applicable.
• to reduce greenhouse gas emissions resulting from heating water; and • to support the local solar hot water heater manufacturing industry. The subsidy is given more widely to gas boosted solar hot water systems because they result in much less greenhouse gas emissions than efficient gas, solar boosted electric or regular electric water heaters. The subsidy is given to first-home buyers for a new home because they rarely purchase solar hot water heaters of any type and this subsidy provides support to local manufacturers. There is a commitment for the subsidy to be reviewed after it has been running for twelve months. (2) The policy does not discriminate against rural and regional residents. Gas boosted solar water heaters can run on bottled gas. They use very little gas and the cost of running them on bottled gas is still cheaper than the alternative, electric instantaneous or storage heaters. (3) Not applicable. (4) Not applicable.
The subsidy is given more widely to gas boosted solar hot water systems because they result in much less greenhouse gas emissions than efficient gas, solar boosted electric or regular electric water heaters. The subsidy is given to first-home buyers for a new home because they rarely purchase solar hot water heaters of any type and this subsidy provides support to local manufacturers. There is a commitment for the subsidy to be reviewed after it has been running for twelve months. (2) The policy does not discriminate against rural and regional residents. Gas boosted solar water heaters can run on bottled gas. They use very little gas and the cost of running them on bottled gas is still cheaper than the alternative, electric instantaneous or storage heaters. (3) Not applicable. (4) Not applicable.
The subsidy is given to first-home buyers for a new home because they rarely purchase solar hot water heaters of any type and this subsidy provides support to local manufacturers. There is a commitment for the subsidy to be reviewed after it has been running for twelve months. (2) The policy does not discriminate against rural and regional residents. Gas boosted solar water heaters can run on bottled gas. They use very little gas and the cost of running them on bottled gas is still cheaper than the alternative, electric instantaneous or storage heaters. (3) Not applicable. (4) Not applicable.
There is a commitment for the subsidy to be reviewed after it has been running for twelve months. (2) The policy does not discriminate against rural and regional residents. Gas boosted solar water heaters can run on bottled gas. They use very little gas and the cost of running them on bottled gas is still cheaper than the alternative, electric instantaneous or storage heaters. (3) Not applicable. (4) Not applicable.
(2) The policy does not discriminate against rural and regional residents. Gas boosted solar water heaters can run on bottled gas. They use very little gas and the cost of running them on bottled gas is still cheaper than the alternative, electric instantaneous or storage heaters. (3) Not applicable. (4) Not applicable.
(3) Not applicable. (4) Not applicable.
(4) Not applicable.
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