PM pledges $1.39B to help Aussies buy solar batteries
SYDNEY—Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Sunday pledged $1.39 billion to help homeowners buy batteries to store solar power and lower their energy costs, a major issue in the May 3 general election.
Albanese’s center-Left Labor runs neck and neck in opinion polls with the Liberal-National opposition led by Peter Dutton, who has campaigned on a plan to lower power bills by forcing liquefied natural gas producers to divert some exports to domestic consumption.
Savings
On Sunday, Albanese said in a statement that his proposal would save households about $2,418 or 30 percent on the installed cost of a typical energy-storage battery.
“The battery will be installed at home and store power from solar panels for the household to use when needed,” the prime minister said.
One in three Australian households now has solar panels but only one in 40 has a battery, according to the government.
Nationals leader David Littleproud told Australian Broadcasting Corp. television that the measure would aid “only a select few” and do little to help renters and pensioners with their power bills.
Under the opposition plan, gas exporters on Australia’s east coast would be forced to direct 10 percent to 20 percent more product to the domestic market. Longer term, the conservative coalition wants Australia to adopt nuclear power.
