ADAM HARVEY, REPORTER: Kirsty Lee has a green soul and an empty wallet. Long before she bought into Melbourne’s Reservoir one year ago, she dreamt of an environmentally sustainable home and the cheaper power bills that would accompany it.
ADAM HARVEY: A typical household might need $20,000 to replace gas cookers, ovens and water heaters and install solar and batteries, and at least $40,000 to buy an electric car. SAUL GRIFFITH: You can pay it back as soon as you like, but it comes due when the property transfers so when you sell the property, that's when the government gets paid back.
ADAM HARVEY: There are already schemes in place that encourage people to move away from gas and install solar. I’m lucky to even own my own home, being able to extend my finance to afford things that would actually make it easier for me to pay the loans to be honest. If I had solar panels my costs could be lower but, those things aren’t really achievable for me.