The Green Party is unveiling “clean power” policy today offering homeowners up to $36,000 in grants and loans to make their homes more energy-efficient.
Greens co-leader James Shaw says a new Clean Power Payment will save households on average $700 per year on power bills and also reduce emissions.
“People are struggling and the planet is heating at frightening speed. We can and must deal with both challenges at the same time,” Shaw said.
The Clean Power Payment will allow:
- grants of up to $6000 to cover the cost of installing solar power and making energy-efficient upgrades.
- interest-free loans of up to $30,000 to cover the cost of additional zero carbon home upgrades.
- tax deductible zero carbon upgrades for rental homes.
The payment is part of a broader Zero Carbon Homes upgrade that includes “by Māori, for Māori approaches” and plans to:
- scale up solar on Kainga Ora homes to 30,000 more households in the next three years.
- expand Warmer Kiwi Homes to cover more zero carbon upgrades such as replacing gas heaters.
- fund Community Energy providers and by Māori, for Māori approaches.
“We are proving once again that we are the only party with the bold solutions people need right now,” Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson said.
“Everything we need to upgrade our homes exists. However, most of us do not have thousands of dollars spare to pay for things like solar panels, heat pumps, or double-glazing.
“The Clean Power Payment is the obvious answer to that problem.
“Under our plan, people will be able to access grants of up to $6,000 to cover the cost of clean energy upgrades, like putting solar power on their roof, or installing a heat pump. Plus, interest-free loans of up to $30,000 to cover the cost of additional zero carbon home upgrades,” she said.
