A Majority Liberal Government will:
- Continue to deliver our goal to become a renewable energy powerhouse by delivering a $735 million investment into Tasmania's renewable energy and hydrogen initiatives.
- Deliver up to 250 construction jobs and invest $700 million into the redevelopment of the Tarraleah power station, subject to the provision of up to $65 million in funding and an underwriting agreement from the Australian Government for this project.
- Establish Bell Bay as one of the nation's recognised Hydrogen Hubs, investing an additional $100 000 in the Tasmanian Hydrogen technology cluster initiative led by the Bell Bay Advanced Manufacturing Zone to support this exciting opportunity.
- Commit, again, that a re-elected Majority Liberal government will not sell or privatise Hydro Tasmania, including Momentum Energy, Entura Consulting or the Tamar Valley Power Station.
- Help reduce the cost of living and the cost of doing business by making it cheaper to become energy efficient, including:
- Re-launching a $30M over 2 years Tasmanian Energy Efficiency Loans Scheme program
- Boosting the No Interest Loan Scheme’s Energy Saver Loan and Subsidy Scheme with funding of $2 million
- Accelerating the rollout of advanced meters by 2026, in line with national electricity laws, to empower energy consumers with the information to manage their energy costs.
- Providing an additional $5 million* to lower headworks costs for new subdivisions on top of $10 million already committed.
- A $10 million* Solar Power sports Club no interest loan scheme.
- $5 million* to deliver a Renewable Energy Schools program.
In addition, the Liberal Government has already committed:
- $3.8m over four years into Renewable Tasmania.
- $39 million to progress Marinus Link to financial investment decision by 2024, in partnership with the Australian Government.
- Up to $30 million to progress the first pumped hydro site at Cethana to financial investment decision by end 2025.
- $50 million over 10 years into the Tasmanian Renewable Hydrogen Industry Development Support Package to establish Tasmania’s renewable hydrogen industry
Energy is an essential service, one that interacts with the lives of everyday Tasmanians, whether at home or at work.
The Tasmanian Liberals are committed to reducing the cost of living pressure for Tasmanians – especially as we continue our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
We are committed to maintaining downward pressure on the cost of living and doing business – and we are fulfilling our commitment to deliver the lowest regulated power prices in the nation by 2022.
Since forming government more than seven years ago, regulated power prices have only increased by around 2.2 per cent in nominal terms, compared with the 65 per cent hike Tasmanians endured over a seven-year term on Labor’s watch.
In real terms, residential prices have actually decreased by -12 per cent with small business prices decreasing by -19 per cent.
We have successfully de-linked from mainland wholesale market volatility through legislated, capped regulated power prices and the Commercial and Industrial rebate scheme.
In the event of future volatility, we retain the ability to re-introduce one or both of these schemes in order to protect Tasmanian households and business from future price hikes.
It is only a Liberal Government that has continued to put downward pressure on the cost of living for Tasmanian households and small business.
A re-elected Majority Liberal Government will:
Deliver up to 250 construction jobs and invest $700 million into the redevelopment of the Tarraleah power station
Our major energy projects have the capacity to transform Tasmania’s economy, create thousands of jobs, inject billions into the economy and create downward pressure on energy prices.
We are now 100 per cent self-sufficient in renewable energy, confirming our status as a world leader in renewable energy generation.
We have legislated the Tasmanian Renewable Energy Target to double our renewable generation to 200 per cent of our current needs by 2040 – this is unmatched globally.
Project Marinus and Battery of the Nation, coupled with Hydro Tasmania’s hydro 10-year reinvestment program and a suite of large- scale renewable energy and wind projects already under development, will provide a solid and credible basis for Tasmania to achieve this strong and ambitious target.
Alongside our nation leading investment in a renewable hydrogen industry we have a suite of actions to lead Tasmania on the path to a globally significant renewable energy powerhouse.
A re-elected Majority Liberal Government will partner with the Australian Government to invest more than $700 million to build a new doubled in size 220MW power station at Tarraleah, with up to 24 hours of energy storage.
Our commitment will see early works commence by 2022 unlocking up to 100 new jobs, rising to 250 jobs during the peak of construction over the following four years.
We will seek up to $65 million in funding and an underwriting agreement from the Australian Government for this project which will support Hydro Tasmania use its balance sheet to bring this project to fruition.
Establish Bell Bay as one of the nation's recognised Hydrogen Hubs investing an additional $100 000 in the Tasmanian Hydrogen technology cluster initiative led by the Bell Bay Advanced Manufacturing Zone
A re-elected Majority Liberal Government will work with the Australian Government to establish Bell Bay as one of the nation's recognised Hydrogen Hubs, investing an additional $100 000 in the Tasmanian Hydrogen technology cluster initiative led by the Bell Bay Advanced Manufacturing Zone.
The Tasmanian Renewable Hydrogen Action Plan identifies Bell Bay as Tasmania’s premier hub for large scale renewable hydrogen industry development.
The $100,000 extension of the provision of funding to the Tasmanian hydrogen technology cluster led by Bell Bay Advanced Manufacturing Zone will assist in attracting further industry investment for longer term support for the operations of the cluster.
It will also support community engagement and social licence activities; build a collaborative hydrogen industry network with strong links to government and investors.
Re-launching a $30M over 2 years Tasmanian Energy Efficiency Loans Scheme (TEELS) program
TEELS was a highly successful initiative providing over 4,300 residential and small business customers with access to around $35 million in interest-free loans to purchase energy efficient products such as heat pumps, window glazing and solar to help improve and reduce energy use.
A re-elected Majority Liberal Government will re-launch a $30 million over two years TEELS program to support residential and small businesses including landlords to install energy efficient appliances and solar systems.
As part of this, $3 million will be allocated to re-establish and administer TEELS, including sourcing banking and delivery mechanisms.
Boosting the No Interest Loan Scheme’s Energy Saver Loan and Subsidy Scheme with funding of $2 million
The highly successful NILS Energy Saver Loan and Subsidy Scheme has supported thousands of vulnerable Tasmanians with access to safe, fair, and affordable credit to purchase energy efficient appliances.
Demand for the Energy Saver Loan and Subsidy Scheme has been steadily increasing since 2018-19 from 2,500 loans per annum to a forecast 3,500 loans in 2020-21.
A re-elected Majority Liberal Government will continue its commitment to reducing the cost of living pressures on Tasmanians by doubling the current funding for the NILS Energy Saver Loan and Subsidy from $1 million to $2 million over a four-year period.
Accelerating the rollout of advanced meters by 2026 to empower energy consumers with the information to manage their energy costs
Tasmanians use more electricity than their Australian counterparts.
Empowering customers with information to manage their day to day power usage will help customers change their power usage patterns and help lower their power bills.
A re-elected Majority Liberal Government commits to accelerating the roll out of advanced meter by 2026, in line with national electricity laws, so real time data can help every home manage their power use and through modern innovative products.
Providing an additional $5 million to lower headworks costs for new subdivisions on top of $10 million already committed
The Liberal Government has already recently committed $10 million to activate residential zoned land, not currently being developed through a ‘Headworks Holiday’ for new residential subdivisions.
This includes up to $5,000 per residential lot for power, and up to $5,000 per residential lot delivered for water and sewerage infrastructure.
To ensure further land activation, a re-elected Majority Liberal Government will commit a further $5 million to open up development of privately-owned vacant residential zoned land across Tasmania.
Provide a $10 million* Solar Power sports Club no interest loan scheme
To help our sporting clubs and associations save money on their energy bills, a re-elected Majority Liberal Government will provide a $10 million loan fund for loans of up to $20,000.
These loans will be available for no interest for a period of five years, for solar panels, hot water systems and/or battery systems.
New solar systems will not only help sporting clubs with their energy costs, but in some instances, generate extra income through exporting solar electricity to the gird.
Our Solar Sports Clubs Loan Scheme will help clubs who may not otherwise be able to afford the high up-front cost of solar energy systems.
This is expected to benefit around 500-600 sporting clubs and associations.
$5 million* to deliver a Renewable Energy Schools program
A re-elected Majority Liberal Government will provide $5 million to deliver a new Renewable Energy Schools program that will roll-out solar panels in all Government schools.
The initial outlay of $5 million will fund solar panels in over 100 schools over the next four years, with the savings in energy bills used to make the program self-sustaining.
All savings will be re-invested back into the Renewable Energy Schools fund until solar has been rolled out in all Government schools.
Current Work Underway
- Established a $10 million Headworks relief fund to be delivered through TasNetworks & TasWater.
- Delivering the Tasmanian Renewable Energy Action Plan.
- Delivering the Tasmanian Renewable Hydrogen Action Plan and the $50 million over 10 years Renewable Hydrogen Industry Development support package and supported projects
- Establishing the Renewable Energy Co-ordination Framework.
- Progressing Marinus Link to Financial Investment Decision, including implementation of the agreed actions under the bilateral energy and emissions Memorandum of Understanding with the Australian Government.
- Progress Lake Cethana as the preferred pumped hydro site to final investment decision.
Our Record in Government
- Achieved 100% self-sufficient in renewable electricity, well before our 2022 target.
- Legislated Tasmanian Renewable Electricity Target to double our renewable energy generation to 200% of current needs by 2040.
- Established Renewables Tasmania and released the Tasmanian Renewable Energy Action Plan and Tasmanian Renewable Hydrogen Action Plan.
- Capped regulated power prices to no more than CPI for 5 years running, and delivered a 1.38 per cent decrease in regulated electricity prices in 2020-21.
- Delivered a Special Energy Bonus to over 80,000 eligible senior Tasmanians.
- $35.5 million Commercial and Industrial energy rebate scheme over 3 years to protect Tasmanian businesses from crippling price hikes.
- $20 million quarterly waiver of small business bills during COVID, as well as $1000 rebate for small businesses in embedded networks, $10 million energy reimbursements to hospitality businesses; and an Aurora Energy $5 million support fund.
- Supported the AER’s Statement of Expectations that protects customers from disconnection during COVID-19.
- Undertook a review of irrigation (electricity) tariffs and saw the commencement of the TasNetworks Empowering Farms trial.
- Created a new Farm Energy Advocate within Aurora Energy to provide targeted advice to agri-business customers.
- Advocated nationally for a rule change to allow innovative trials of power saving and sharing solutions.
- Invested up to 1 million into renewable and efficient technologies on farms through the highly successful On-Farm Energy Audit and Capital Grant Scheme.
- Delivered Project Marinus business case in 2019 – confirming a 1500 megawatt MarinusLink is technically feasible and commercially and economically viable.
- Secured $56 million in Australian Government funding to progress Project Marinus to design and approvals phase.
- Completed Battery of the Nation pre-feasibility assessments identifying 3400 megawatts of potential pumped hydro capacity, confirming Tasmania’s pumped storage is the most cost effective storage solution currently in the nation.
- Provided Bell Bay Advanced Manufacturing Zone with $100,000, matching the National Energy Resources Australia’s funding of $100,000 to form a regional hydrogen technology cluster at Bell Bay.
Labor – Green record:
- Power prices increased by 65% over seven years under a previous Labor Government.
Costings:
The cost of the policy is $5.1 million