The WA Greens have released a $68 million plan for solar panels to be installed on every public housing home; a move that would slash the power bills for some of Western Australia’s poorest families.

The plan would see 1.5kW rooftop solar systems installed on approximately 22,000 public housing homes and apartments and 8,000 community housing units across the state. The plan is based on $2000 per roof plus around $274 per home for a smart meter.

Housing spokesperson for the Greens Lynn MacLaren MLC said the initiative would help families bring down their cost of electricity by an average of $500 a year.

“At the same time it will assist in bringing down the state’s carbon emissions and boosting the solar energy industry in WA,” Ms MacLaren said. With the plan estimated at lowering carbon emmissions by 74,000 tonnes annually.

Ms MacLaren said the plan is simple and easy to implement, an “innovative solution to problems facing WA today and in to the future.” It will tackle the “inadequate” solar-panel pilot program in the State that has installed the panels on 500 homes for the cost of $1M.

The full plan is available here.