Green Party co leader James Shaw visited a home in Auckland today that has been upgraded with a wide range of energy improvements, similar to those that would be supported through the Green Party’s Clean Power Payment.

“Our Clean Power Payment will help people cover the cost of upgrading their home to run on clean energy, and save them money each month on their power bills,” says Green Party co leader James Shaw.

“The Green Party will install solar on the roofs of 30,000 Kāinga Ora homes over the next three years, instead of just 1,000 per year as Labour has proposed. We would also roll out the Clean Power Payment to 60,000 homes a year, as opposed to only retrofitting 5000 homes per year.

“Kāinga Ora rooftops provide a huge opportunity to create free electricity from the sun and reduce power bills for thousands of families. Only the Green Party will significantly increase the number of Kāinga Ora homes that will benefit from cheap, renewable energy.

“Through a mix of grants and interest-free loans, the Clean Power Payment will help people cover the upfront cost of things like better insulation; replacing fossil-fuel appliances, like gas heaters, with clean alternatives, like heat pumps; and purchasing rooftop solar power.

“As a proportion of their income, the lowest group of income earners pay more to power their homes, compared to the highest income group. Far too many families are forced to choose between keeping their homes warm and having food on the table.

“Kāinga Ora rooftops provide a huge opportunity to create free electricity from the sun and reduce power bills for thousands of families. The estimated savings on power bills for households in homes would be around $700 to $850 with solar panels.

“The Clean Power Payment will deliver lower bills, more jobs, and cut climate emissions. That is what the Green Party is offering this election. Once again we are the only party with the bold solutions people need right now.

“If you want a government that will ensure everyone has enough to live on, free dental care and a warm, dry and affordable place to call home, then the time is now to put more Green MPs around the decision making table,” says James Shaw.

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