STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Ms BERRY (Whitlam) (13:53): I am proud that the Albanese Labor government, in partnership with the Minns Labor government, is investing in renewable energy solutions for social housing in the Illawarra to help reduce power bills for social housing tenants. A new pilot program will demonstrate how rooftop solar, home batteries and virtual power plant technology can reduce power bills for social housing tenants in the Illawarra and create a more reliable energy network for our region.

The pilot will install rooftop solar panels and batteries on selected social housing properties. This will create an immediate cost-of-living benefit for residents. This program will also deliver the Social Housing Virtual Power Plant pilot to support the rollout of solar panels and batteries for selected social housing properties in the Illawarra Renewable Energy Zone.

Virtual power plants connect energy systems across multiple homes, allowing stored power to be used or exported when it's most valuable to households and the electricity grid. This pilot is part of a recent expansion of the Albanese government's Social Housing Energy Performance Initiative. This initiative has already provided upgrades to around 400 homes in the Illawarra renewable energy zone, including the installation of 136 rooftop solar systems.

As Australia's first renewable energy zone, the Illawarra Renewable Energy Zone brings together the energy resources in an urban area— (Time expired)