[Greens-Media] Greens’ agency could save SA families $180m on electricity bills

[Schultz-Byard, Noah (Sen S. Hanson-Young)]

MEDIA RELEASE

Friday, 31 May 2013

Greens’ agency could save SA families $180m on electricity bills

An Energy Savings Agency announced by the Australian Greens has the potential to save South Australian home owners more than $180 million on their electricity bills each year.

“South Australian families are under pressure like never before,” South Australian Greens Senator, Sarah Hanson-Young said.

“The Greens Energy Savings Agency has the potential to cut the average family electricity bill by $250 a year. That’s a saving of over $180 million for the 725,000 residential electricity account holders in South Australia.

“25% of your electricity bill goes towards the construction of infrastructure that is used for just 40 hours a year, during those times of intensive demand.

“By rewarding companies for decreasing their demand in those peak times, the savings on infrastructure costs would be significant and the Energy Savings Agency would ensure those savings are passed onto the consumer.

“The agency would also ensure that South Australians who are feeding solar power back into the grid are actually paid a fair price for that contribution.

“The Greens care about Australian families who are doing it tough and the Energy Savings Agency is just one way we are trying to ease the pressure they are under right now.”
The Energy Savings Agency will have three priorities:

  *   Help Australians generate their own power with a fair price for clean energy they produce, for example from rooftop solar systems.
  *   Bring down power bills by achieving $1 billion in energy savings every year, comprising of avoided network investment and customer energy savings.
  *   Design a National Energy Efficiency Scheme, expanding three existing state-based schemes to save energy and money at home and work.
Media Contact: Noah Schultz-Byard 0427 604 760


NOAH SCHULTZ-BYARD  MEDIA ADVISER

OFFICE OF SENATOR SARAH HANSON-YOUNG
AUSTRALIAN GREENS SENATOR FOR SOUTH AUSTRALIA
[fb-icon]<https://www.facebook.com/Senator.Sarah.Hanson.Young>[twt-icon]<https://twitter.com/sarahinthesen8> [ag-icon] <http://sarah-hanson-young.greensmps.org.au/>
Level 7 / 147 Pirie St, Adelaide, SA 5000
TEL  +61 8 8227 0425   |   MOB  +61 427 604 760   |   FAX  +61 8 8227 0426

[email_sig]