Victorians hoping to claim a Government incentive for purchasing an energy efficient fridge are out of luck with the appliance being removed from the Department of Environment, Land Water and Planning’s Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) program.
Announcing the removal, Minister for Energy, Lily D’Ambrosio said it followed reports of providers dumping fridges and gaming the energy efficiency program by removing all VEU incentives for ‘plug-in’ refrigerated cabinets.
Ms D’Ambrosio said the appliance wouldn’t return to the VEU program until a full activity review could be undertaken.
“The review will ensure the VEU program continues to meet its goals, making Victorian households and businesses more energy efficient and appropriately incentivising upgrades,” Ms D’Ambrosio said.
“The review will also look to strengthen the requirement to replace existing refrigeration cabinets and limiting the number of fridges per business,” she said.
“The removal of incentives builds on the action taken last week by the Essential Services Commission, the regulator and administrator of the VEU program, to pause the processing of Victorian energy efficiency certificates for multiple installations of refrigerator cabinets while investigating any wrongdoing.”
Ms D’Ambrosio said that from today (1 July) a Code of Conduct was in place for businesses working under the VEU program, alongside legislative reforms and improved communications to consumers.
Further information on the Code of Conduct can be accessed from PS News last week in this PS News article.
