CEFC backs push for solar and storage in all new-build homes

One Step Off The Grid

The shift towards making built-in solar and battery storage the “new normal” for new-build homes in Australia now has the backing of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, in a joint initiative with leading property development group, Mirvac.

In an announcement on Thursday, the CEFC said it was committing up to $90 million in debt finance towards Mirvac’s plan to embed a range of clean energy measures as part of the base build in three new masterplanned residential communities.

The communities, planned for development in Sydney and Brisbane, will include more than 300 family homes of three and four bedrooms, each with built-in solar and battery storage systems, as well as high-grade insulation, LED lighting and energy efficient appliances.

The 5.1kW rooftop solar systems, paired with 10kWh battery systems – what sort of battery has not yet been revealed – would provide first and new home buyers with a built-in solution to meet up to 90 per cent of their household’s energy consumption, the CEFC said.

“The CEFC’s finance will mean this clean energy technology is already included in the homes during construction, at no additional cost to the home buyer,” said CEFC chief Ian Learmonth.

“This will deliver significant and ongoing long-term benefits to families and residents,” he said.

CEFC property sector lead Chris Wade said that the green bank’s goal was to help see these built-in energy technologies become the ‘new normal’ for Australian homes – something we have already seen taking shape across the property port folios of a number of major developers.

Residential developer Metricon, for example, recently told One Step Off The Grid that more than half of the roughly 1,000 new homes it is building a year in New South Wales alone will have rooftop solar and battery storage included.

Last month, it revealed a new deal in partnership with solar installer CSR Bradford, where NSW and Queensland customers who chose from its Designer range would also have the option to include a Solar ChargePack.

In January, Porter Davis, announced a deal – again with solar retailer Bradford Energy – to include a 5.6kW rooftop solar system and 13.5kWh Tesla Powerwall 2 to 50 knock-down rebuilds in Victoria, as part of a limited promotion.

And there are many more examples.

“Smart building design, combined with solar and battery storage packages, can give home owners greater control over their energy use and can pave the way for energy self-sufficiency,” the CEFC’s Wade said.

“As a key part of this investment, we will work with Mirvac to monitor energy use and track energy savings, so we can share insights into the positive impacts of these technologies on day-to-day
energy consumption.

“We see this as building the foundation of an ongoing relationship with Mirvac to enhance clean energy standards in the residential housing sector.”

Mirvac Group general manager of sustainability, Sarah Clarke, said that for the company, the initiative was part of its target to be net positive in energy and water by 2030, and to facilitate sustainable living through their homes.

“Cost of living and environmental sustainability are issues our customers really care about, and this is another great example of how Mirvac is focused on providing more affordable living options,” Clarke said.

This article was originally published on RenewEconomy’s sister site, One Step Off The Grid, which focuses on customer experience with distributed generation. To sign up to One Step’s free weekly newsletter, please click here.