NSW SET TO LEAD THE WAY ON ROOF-TOP SOLAR
Monday, 19 January 2009 22:13
“Australians need incentives to use and develop renewable energy technologies which are solar, thermal and ocean based,” said TEC’s Senior Campaigner, Jane Castle.
“But right now, there are more barriers than incentives,” she added. "NSW has the manufacturing capacity and the population to support a leadership position in solar energy for example, which would compensate for the weak Federal government Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.
“The recent Rudd government decision to remove the Solar Homes and Communities Plan (SHCP) rebate by July 2009 means the up-front capital costs for installation of roof-top solar will increase by around $8,000.”
“Solar credits” will replace the SHCP under the expanded Renewable Energy Target (RET).
“But they will actually reduce the amount of renewable energy installed within the grid,” said Ms Castle. “Nor will they adequately compensate owners of small-scale renewables for the loss of revenue.”
ATA and TEC maintain that the benefits of small scale renewables extend well beyond greenhouse gas emissions reductions.
The ATA’s Energy Advocate, Damien Moyse, said that small-scale, roof-top solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity, for example, “reduces infrastructure costs and improves supply reliability, while creating more jobs than the mainstream energy industry. Under the current framework, however, the small scale renewable generators are hampered by inconsistent and complex technical requirements, which also incur extra expenses.”
“TEC and the ATA applaud the NSW government’s feed-in tariff initiative,” said Ms Castle. “But it must be drafted to guarantee an attractive return for owners embracing energy technologies that are on the brink of commercialisation.”
TEC and the ATA also called on the federal government to ensure that all voluntary actions to reduce greenhouse emissions, such as installing roof-top solar, will reduce Australia’s emissions beyond the currently weak target.
“Otherwise we are merely reducing the burden of the heavy polluters,” said Mr Moyse.
