MORE than 6300 Canberra households have applied for the ACT government’s Sustainable Household Scheme, totalling more than $60 million in approved loans for renewable energy products.

The scheme is designed to assist Canberrans with the upfront costs of purchasing roof top solar, battery storage, electric heating and cooling, and electric vehicles to promote the transition to net-zero emissions.

The majority of loans were for roof top solar, with 3531 Canberrans successful in their application.

Twenty-six applications were approved to purchase new electric vehicles, and 23 were approved for used ones.

Other loans were approved for battery systems, hot water heat pumps, electric heating and cooling and electric stove tops

According to the government, the schene has generated about 25 megawatts of renewable power, catering to about 1.5 per cent of the ACT’s energy demand.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr says the products the scheme assists Canberrans in purchasing “would effectively reduce the territory’s annual energy demand by about 0.05 per cent or 1350 Mega-watt hours.”