SA govt calls for tenders to install solar PV at 400 public housing units

As many as 400 public housing units in Adelaide will soon be fitted with rooftop solar – a measure that is expected to cut their electricity bills by up to $150 a year – after the South Australian government issued a called for tenders for the project.

The tender, released on March 30, calls for the supply and installation of up to 400 solar PV systems for public housing – double the amount originally flagged by the government in an election commitment.

“Recently the program was doubled to include a further 200 properties in the CBD, meaning up to 400 properties will now be part of the scheme,” said SA housing minister Stephen Mullighan.

The scheme is being funded through the $65 million public housing package announced in the 2015/16 state budget, and an assessment of suitable properties is already underway in the Adelaide City Council district.

“This project will provide savings on residents’ annual energy bills of at least $150 each year while also giving a valuable boost to South Australian solar suppliers and installers, and supporting jobs for South Australians,” said Mullighan.

SA climate minister Ian Hunter said the project was an important contribution to Adelaide’s plan to become the world’s first carbon neutral city, and a key part of the Weatherill government’s low-carbon drive.

Indeed, the City of Adelaide’s world-leading efforts on climate action were recognised this week by the London-based non-government organisation CDP, which ranked it among the top 10 cities “setting the bar on climate disclosure”.

Among other initiatives, Adelaide has introduced the Sustainable City Incentives Scheme which provides grants to businesses and residents to install solar, battery storage and LED lights, and the Building Upgrade Finance mechanism, which provides property owners with access to financial incentives to upgrade their buildings.

The importance of high quality, energy efficient public housing in the global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions was highlighted at last week’s Green Cities conference in Sydney.

In Singapore, for example, government leadership has helped the city state achieve environmental sustainability and affordable housing despite its high population density and limited land area.

Singapore’s public housing agency Housing Development Board (HDB) provides homes for 80 per cent of the country’s 5.4 million residents, and 80 per cent of these HDB dwellers own their homes.

Speaking at last week’s Green Cities conference in Sydney, the CEO of HDB, Cheong Koon Hean, noted that the Board is also Singapore’s largest buyer of solar energy, and the 23 residential towns and three estates it manages are fitted with features like green spaces, energy-efficient fixtures in public spaces, and in some towns, extensive bicycle path networks.

She said the success of Singapore’s housing programs were thanks to the cooperation between government agencies, which worked together to invest in infrastructure and allocate funds to sustainable and affordable housing.

“When you have to survive, people are more united and recognise the value of long-term planning,” Cheong told the conference, adding that Singapore’s approach to governance “will be helpful to many cities to work out the way forward together.”

The SA tender for Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Pilot Scheme for Public Housing will close on 29 April with works scheduled to start in July.