NATIONAL: The clean energy industry says changes to the renewable energy target announced today will deliver stalled multi-million dollar commercial projects as well as supporting household scale technologies such as solar panels and solar hot water systems.

“The Rudd Government has got it right with this announcement,” said Clean Energy Council chief executive Matthew Warren.

“The clean energy industry has been discussing structural design issues with the current Renewable Energy Target since late last year. The Rudd Government has listened carefully to industry advice and today has acted decisively and effectively.

“Our main concern was to improve the design of the RET to ensure that it delivered both industrial scale generation projects as well as the continued development and deployment of household technologies like solar panels and hot water. Today’s announcement addresses this problem.

“We will continue to work with the government to ensure the final legislation is effective and efficient.

“These changes clear the path for the clean energy industry to play its crucial role in driving down the cost of clean energy whilst cutting Australia’s greenhouse emissions. 

“This is good news for jobs and investment in the renewable energy industry,” Mr Warren said.

For more information please visit the Clean Energy Council.

Embargo 10th November 2009

Intervention by Premier Nathan Rees in the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme will deliver the most generous payments to families in the country.

“Our gross payment system will deliver higher paybacks to families and makes NSW national leaders in the clean energy revolution,” said Mr
Rees.

“A ‘gross scheme’ is based on the total solar energy produced in your home rather than payments based only on what you don’t use.

“These changes will see an average family paid around $1496 a year.

“That’s a 62 percent increase on the previous scheme and means households can pay off their investment in solar panels in around eight years.

“Under our scheme, homeowners will know up-front how much they will be paid for all the energy their solar panels produce.”

Households with solar panels will be paid 60 cents per kilowatt hour and an average household system would generate annually around 2500 kWh. The NSW scheme will have a cap on the size of home solar systems of 10 kW. A system this size would generate around 16 700 kWh and pay almost $10 000 a year.

“Creating certainty in the feed-in-tariff scheme is one way we can encourage families to invest in solar technology and support the clean energy industry,” said Mr Rees.

A review of the scheme was one of the first tasks for the newly created Ministerial portfolio of Climate Change, Environment and Energy. Minister John Robertson will introduce legislation for the scheme into parliament this week.

We are introducing legislation to allow these changes to come into effect next year. Transitional arrangements will also be made for families already receiving a feed-in-tariff,” said Mr Robertson.

The scheme is proposed to run for seven years.

JOINT STATEMENT
MINISTER FOR ENERGY IAN MACDONALD
MINISTER FOR CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE ENVIRONMENT CARMEL TEBBUTT

Solar bonus scheme for NSW announced details of a new solar bonus scheme to operate across the State have been announced by the NSW Government today.
Minister for Climate Change, Carmel Tebbutt and Minister for Energy, Ian Macdonald said the scheme - flagged late last year - would support people in NSW who produce
renewable energy through roof-top solar panels and feed it back into the grid. “This is a significant boost for renewable energy in NSW and has the potential to generate an additional 500 green jobs.

Our scheme is designed to be the most generous to operate anywhere in Australia, apart from the ACT,” Ms Tebbutt said. “We expect the scheme to reward customers with around $900 annually - meaning an average solar panel system could be paid back within 12 years.“We have delivered a balanced outcome that will support the uptake of solar panels, without unduly burdening all electricity consumers. “Our scheme is a net scheme that will operate for 20 years, equal to the longest in the country. “It will pay eligible systems 60 cents per kilowatt hour for the renewable energy they feed back into the grid - this is around four times greater than the average price of electricity.

“The scheme will include systems up to 10 kilowatts in size, which will capture households, small businesses, some community organisations and some schools.
“While the scheme will initially apply to roof-top solar panels, we will consider the inclusion of micro wind turbines and community solar farms. “The NSW Government has a comprehensive renewable energy plan that includes the solar bonus scheme, significant funding for new renewable energy projects and wind renewable energy precincts.”

Minister for Energy Ian Macdonald said it was vital the NSW Government got the balance right when developing its solar bonus scheme. “Solar bonus schemes such as this are paid for by all electricity customers. It is important to shield vulnerable individuals and families who are not in a position to install solar panels from a significant increase in their electricity bills,” Mr Macdonald said. “A net system was chosen because it encourages people to better manage their power
use and use energy more efficiently – this is because you get paid for energy you produce but don’t use. “It will also provide a greater degree of harmonisation with schemes in Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and Western Australia.

“This is a shot in the arm for the solar energy industry and comes on the back of the recent announcement of solar manufacturing Silex Systems Ltd to develop the BP Solar
manufacturing facility at Homebush.”Silex will invest an estimated $30 million in the Homebush plant over coming years, which will create 165 Green Jobs, ensuring its future use as a high technology solar manufacturing base.

This investment demonstrates the Government's commitment to developing renewable energy alternatives, where green skills and green jobs can thrive.
Key details of the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme:
• will operate for 20 years;
• pay 60 c/KWh that is fed back into the grid;
• be payable to energy customers with solar panel systems up to 10 kW in size;
• commence on 1 January 2010; and
• will be reviewed in 2012 to make sure the scheme is operating effectively.

SolarGen has received the current uptake of rebate preapprovals, installation reports and payments of rebate. As you can see for the week ending 20th Feb there were 1067 rebate applications received by the Department of the Environment. In that same week there were 511 grid connect solar installations. Whilst the uptake of grid solar has been tremendous over the last 18 Months, Australia still has a long way to go before we come close to our renewable energy targets. Customers thinking of going grid solar need to remember that after July 1 2009, the rebate for a 1kW system will go from $8,000 down to $5,000 and the RECS which are currently worth $800 will not apply to 1kW systems. Thats why now is really the best time to purchase a grid connect solar system for your home.