❓ Hon Tim Clifford questions the Minister for Housing on the cost-effectiveness of solar PV on public housing, following up on a 2012 pilot project. The Minister provides updates on monitoring, tables a document, and explains the department's current approach.
AnsweredQoN 39Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
PUBLIC HOUSING —
SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS
39. Hon TIM CLIFFORD to the minister representing the
Minister for Housing:
I refer to the minister's
response to question without notice 634 in 2017, in which he stated that a 2012
pilot project undertaken by the then Housing Authority and the Public Utilities
Office found that the installation of solar photovoltaic panels on public
housing was not economically viable.
(1) Has the
Department of Communities continued to monitor the cost-effectiveness of solar
PV, as promised in the minister's response?
(2) Could the minister please table
any documents or reports that outline the result of this monitoring?
(3) Could the minister please table
any reports documenting the results of the 2012 pilot project?
(4) Given the
increasing cost of electricity in Western Australia as a result of the
government's aim to achieve cost reflectivity and the decreasing cost
of installing solar PV, could the minister please provide an updated cost–benefit
analysis of installing solar PV on social housing properties?
SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS
39. Hon TIM CLIFFORD to the minister representing the
Minister for Housing:
I refer to the minister's
response to question without notice 634 in 2017, in which he stated that a 2012
pilot project undertaken by the then Housing Authority and the Public Utilities
Office found that the installation of solar photovoltaic panels on public
housing was not economically viable.
(1) Has the
Department of Communities continued to monitor the cost-effectiveness of solar
PV, as promised in the minister's response?
(2) Could the minister please table
any documents or reports that outline the result of this monitoring?
(3) Could the minister please table
any reports documenting the results of the 2012 pilot project?
(4) Given the
increasing cost of electricity in Western Australia as a result of the
government's aim to achieve cost reflectivity and the decreasing cost
of installing solar PV, could the minister please provide an updated cost–benefit
analysis of installing solar PV on social housing properties?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) Yes. In 2016,
the Housing Authority undertook a study to assess whether a power purchase
agreement instrument could be used to attract private sector funding for the
rollout of solar PV on its public housing properties. The Department of
Communities, of which the Housing Authority is a part, is currently trialling
the PPA at the Amble Estate in Girrawheen; however, this is limited to
properties available for purchase only. The Department of Communities will
continue to monitor the potential for a PPA-funded project in its tenanted
properties.
(2) Yes. I table
a document from 2016, headed ''Pre-Feasibility Concept and Cost Benefit
Analysis Study''.
[See paper 2397.]
(3) No. This
question should be referred to the Treasurer as the report was completed by the
Public Utilities Office.
(4) No. The
Department of Communities is funded to provide safe and affordable housing and,
when appropriate, the provision of energy subsidies for the most vulnerable
members of our community. The Department of Communities will continue to
support externally funded initiatives using its tenanted properties for solar
PV power generation. The Department of Communities will continue to monitor the
ongoing cost of maintaining the solar PV systems installed during the trial,
particularly the period between the expiry of their warranty and their expected
life.
some notice of the question.
(1) Yes. In 2016,
the Housing Authority undertook a study to assess whether a power purchase
agreement instrument could be used to attract private sector funding for the
rollout of solar PV on its public housing properties. The Department of
Communities, of which the Housing Authority is a part, is currently trialling
the PPA at the Amble Estate in Girrawheen; however, this is limited to
properties available for purchase only. The Department of Communities will
continue to monitor the potential for a PPA-funded project in its tenanted
properties.
(2) Yes. I table
a document from 2016, headed ''Pre-Feasibility Concept and Cost Benefit
Analysis Study''.
[See paper 2397.]
(3) No. This
question should be referred to the Treasurer as the report was completed by the
Public Utilities Office.
(4) No. The
Department of Communities is funded to provide safe and affordable housing and,
when appropriate, the provision of energy subsidies for the most vulnerable
members of our community. The Department of Communities will continue to
support externally funded initiatives using its tenanted properties for solar
PV power generation. The Department of Communities will continue to monitor the
ongoing cost of maintaining the solar PV systems installed during the trial,
particularly the period between the expiry of their warranty and their expected
life.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.