- Incumbent administrator Brighte selected for the next stages of the $150m Sustainable Household Scheme
- Announcement of two year deal follows scheduled competitive tender process after first year of program
- Brighte also supports the ACT Home Energy Support Rebate Program for low income households
The ACT Government today confirmed green fintech Brighte has again been chosen as the exclusive finance and administration partner for the next stages of its nation-leading $150m Sustainable Household Scheme (SHS), following a competitive tender process.
This is the second home electrification and energy efficiency program administered by Brighte, who was also selected last year to manage the $50m Tasmanian Energy Saver Loan Scheme.
Brighte Founder and CEO, Katherine McConnell, said the deal solidified Brighte’s standing as the partner of choice for governments looking to make sustainability affordable and accessible for households and businesses.
“The ACT Government has been at the forefront of Australia’s clean energy transition and the team at Brighte is proud to have played a part in making this the nation’s premier home electrification and energy efficiency scheme,” said Ms McConnell.
“We have developed a strong and collaborative working relationship with the ACT Government as we seek to make sustainability affordable and accessible, and we are so pleased to see this partnership continue.”
“Brighte’s processes, platform and people - along with our strong vendor network - have successfully supported a rapid and robust program while also managing risk, delivering successful outcomes for the government.”
“This Scheme serves as a best practice model for other jurisdictions who are seeking a low-risk way to combine progressive public policy with proven operational execution.”
“We look forward to continuing our work with forward-thinking policymakers to enable households, businesses and community groups to reduce emissions, slash their bills and improve their energy efficiency.”
The Sustainable Household Scheme offers zero-interest loans of between $2,000 to $15,000 for a range of energy upgrades such solar, batteries, electric heating and cooling, hot water pumps, electric stove tops, electric vehicles (EVs) and EV chargers.
The Scheme was originally announced in the 2020 ACT election and funded in the 2021-22 budget. Brighte was named as the exclusive administration partner in July 2021. The new deal will see Brighte continue to support the delivery of the highly popular Scheme for at least the next two years.
As part of its role, Brighte has also overseen the successful launch of EVs into the Scheme, its expansion to Community Organisations and the roll-out of the Home Energy Support Rebate, administering rebates and loans for eligible low-income households.
As of the end of December 2022, the SHS had been rolled out to nearly 11,000 households, totaling more than $100 million in approved loans. According to the ACT Government, the Scheme has helped to reduce the ACT’s annual CO2 emissions by over 1,800 tons, delivering a reduction of nearly $25m in household operating costs and generating over 50 MW of renewable power, around 8% of the ACT’s total power demand.
Brighte is currently supporting the expansion of the Sustainable Household Scheme to include insulation, following new regulations that require all rental properties in the ACT to meet minimum energy efficiency standards.
In September 2022, Brighte was also appointed exclusive finance and administration partner of the Tasmanian Government’s $50m Energy Saver Loan Scheme, which offers no-interest loans up to $10,000 for energy-efficient upgrades.