Bayside Leader
Tuesday 10/6/2008 Page: 7
THE means-testing of the solar panel rebate scheme has cost one Sandringham business operator $500,000 in orders. When the Federal Government capped the rebate at $100,000 gross income a household, Beyond Building boss Erik Zimmerman was shocked.
His Black Rock company had 350 orders for installations in and around Bayside, but luckily 250 of those already had the paperwork in progress so were exempt from the rebate change. Of the remaining 100, 65 per cent of customers cancelled their orders. He said customers had told him the $8000 Federal Government grant was what made installing solar panels viable. He lost more than $500,000 in orders overnight.
"There are a lot of really disappointed people out there that have had to cancel their solar panel plans." he said. "These people don't feel wealthy yet have been excluded from this scheme." Mr Zimmerman said because his company bought the panels in such large quantities, the average cost to supply and install was about $9250. The $1250 difference was made up over five years of $250 in electric savings.
But with many Baysiders not being under the $100,000 annual household income threshold, they can no longer afford solar panels. He said his six employees' jobs were safe, but a plan to hire three more installers had been shelved. Luckily, sales in regional Victoria were less affected by the scheme and his company would be able to stay afloat.
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