Media statement
For immediate release
Monday, 6 September 2004

Baldock welcomes solar heating move

United Future environment spokesman Larry Baldock welcomes the Government’s latest announcement on moves to boost solar water heating in New Zealand homes, but warns the industry needs time and certainty to make it work.

“After United Future urging, the Government doubled the money in the last Budget for subsidising home solar water heating systems,” he said.

“I’m pleased to see that momentum maintained by Energy Minister Pete Hodgson’s statement that the Government aims to have 10,000 buildings fitted with these systems annually ‘sooner or later’.

“The only caution I would add is that the solar heating industry will need to have certainty that the Government will stick to that aim and that there will be sufficient time to make the significant investment needed to have enough domestic solar heating systems available to meet the demand,” said Mr Baldock.

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