Page 1607 - Week 05 - Thursday, 5 May 2016
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MR COE: Chief Minister, what was your role in negotiating or facilitating the federal Labor 2013 election promise to fund the sports hub at the University of Canberra?
MR BARR: I supported that policy announcement. I did attend the announcement of that policy position, but I understand the former member for Eden-Monaro, Mike Kelly, was also an advocate for that outcome. It was a particular commitment that was made at the 2013 election, and political parties are entitled to make election commitments prior to elections.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mr Coe.
MR COE: Chief Minister, when did you first become aware that Mr Lamont was to be awarded an adjunct associate professorship from the University of Canberra for none other than contracts, construction and project management?
MR BARR: About three seconds ago, Madam Speaker.
Energy—battery storage
MR HINDER: My question is to the Deputy Chief Minister, in his capacity as the Minister for the Environment and Climate Change. Minister, can you update the Assembly on the next generation renewable energy storage pilot that you announced last December?
MR CORBELL: I thank Mr Hinder for his question. I am very pleased to advise members that the government continues to push forward with its strong agenda supporting the rollout of new technologies in the energy supply sector that lead to a more sustainable Canberra and also lead to greater diversity of energy security and supply, and critically are helping to create jobs and investment in our city.
Last December, as members may recall, I announced that the government would be supporting a next generation energy storage pilot worth $600,000. The purpose of that was to provide for grants to a range of businesses through a competitive process to support the development of distributed battery storage in households and businesses across the ACT, building our capacity as a centre for renewable energy excellence, supporting the growth of start-up businesses in this sector and helping to strengthen the government’s commitment to and our community’s strong support for the 100 per cent renewable energy target.
I am very pleased to inform members that last month I announced that three companies, all based here in the ACT, were successful in each being awarded approximately $200,000 to install battery storage in Canberra homes and businesses. Those three businesses are SolarHub, ActewAGL Retail and ITP Renewables. They are the first winners of the next generation energy storage pilot, which is helping to make battery storage more affordable for Canberrans and will be the first step in the rollout of what will be the largest trial of household batteries in an urban environment in any country around the world, with the exception of Germany.
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