The Federal Budget was handed down last week and the energy industry featured prominently in the conversation.
What do solar businesses need to know about it? If you’re unsure about how Federal Budget 2022 relates to your business, here’s our take.
1. Leverage the cost-of-energy conversation
Not surprisingly to anyone in the industry, the Federal Budget warned that electricity prices were expected to rise by 56% over the next two years – and gas prices by 40%.
Use this information to open conversations and close deals with your commercial customers.
- Help commercial customers understand how much their current electricity costs might increase by doing a quick calculation. What does 56% mean for them in dollars?
- Do they have equipment that uses gas? Replacing equipment or plant with electricity-powered alternatives means they could power it with solar – and lower their costs.
- Remind commercial customers that with a Payment Plan for energy-efficiency equipment, the savings on their energy bill are typically greater than their monthly instalments. This makes the purchase cash-flow positive – which is great for their bottom line.
For more on this, read ‘How to help your customers understand – and manage – rising electricity costs.’
2. Consider upselling with EV-charging
The Driving the Nation Fund – a cool $500 million to help reduce transport emissions – highlights the government’s commitment to reducing transport emissions.
In an effort to encourage EV ownership, the $345 million Electric Car Discount will exempt eligible electric cars from fringe benefits tax and the 5% import tariff.
Use this information to offer solar customers additional opportunities to future-proof their operations by installing EV chargers. As the EV market continues to expand, forward-thinking workplaces are getting wise to the benefit of providing employees and customers this service.
By offering workplace, or ‘destination’, EV charging, businesses can:
- generate additional revenue,
- attract and retain talent, and
- cement their sustainable brand reputation.
3. Build your team with a $10K sweetener
Need to build your team?
This Budget announced it will address growing skills demands in the clean energy sector by making 10,000 New Energy Apprenticeships available over four years (2,500 commencements a year from 2022-23).
To help to increase apprentice uptake, boost retention and improve completions, apprentices who choose to train in new energy industries will receive up to $10,000 in staged payments.
For top sales tips, contact your Account Manager or call us on 1300 795 695.