Figures from the Department of the Environment show that applications for the Federal Government's $8000 rebates continue to pour in at the rate of up to 700 a week, even though a new income test of $100,000 was introduced in the budget.

The figures also show that lower income households are prepared to pay more for power that comes from clean sources, with 20 per cent of the applicants earning between $20,000 and $40,000 a year.

A further 22 per cent of applicants earn between $40,000 and $60,000 a year.

The most applications came from people living in Victoria and South Australia. NSW came third on the department's state-by-state breakdown of the applications.

Solar companies were furious when the Federal Government introduced the income test. They warned that it would have dire consequences for jobs and the industry.

But applications have shot up since the budget. Many companies have speculated that publicity surrounding the rebate acted as a de facto advertising campaign.

"Solar rebate applications have grown more than 13 fold within just over 12 months and recent changes to the scheme mean that rebates are now going to families that most need financial assistance to install solar systems," the Minister for the Environment, Peter Garrett, said. "This growth in the industry has also required changes to the scheme to extend the time-frame for installation from approval by three months to allow installers to manage the demand."

Mr Garrett is consulting community groups, renewable energy groups, industry and the public about the future of the myriad incentives for various renewable energy products.

Before the introduction of the emissions trading scheme, which will cause power prices to rise, the Government is keen to have more effective ways of encouraging people to use less energy and be more efficient.

As well as giving compensation to people on low and middle incomes to help them with higher price rises, the Government is expected to revamp all programs such as the solar rebate to provide better incentives for schemes that will help drive down greenhouse pollution the most.