Solar tariff sunshine Grid feed payback may be improved

Hobart Mercury
Saturday 1 July, 2010 Page: 3

TASMANIANS may be paid more for producing solar energy.
Householders in NSW are rewarded for all the power put back into the grid but Tasmanians are only rewarded when they put more back into the grid than they have consumed. However, the State Government is considering moves to provide a better system for solar power users, Alternative Energy Minister Nick McKim said he was committed to improving the situation and working on creating a system like that in NSW. "I will continue to support a gross feed-in tariff and to encourage both energy efficiency and tile production of renewable energy at both a local and commercial scale," he said,

Aurora Energy also flagged a move by tile Government to pay people more for tile power they harness from the sun. "Aurora Energy understands the State Government is finalising details of a feed-in tariff policy for energy retailers in Tasmania," Aurora Energy spokesman Richard Wilson said. The move comes after a recent study by Choice magazine found it could take up to 45 years for solar panels to pay for themselves in Tasmania, based solely on the feed-in tariff just on surplus power,

However, critics of the Choice article say cheaper power bills by having the sun augment household usage means systems can pay for themselves in as little as eight to 10 years, after rebates, Choice found solar panels in Tasmania were the least affordable in thE country because of the low price paid to households when they sold power back into the grid. Tasmania's rate of 20¢ akW-hour is well below that of other states, with residents in NSW receiving 60¢ akW-hour.

Tasmanian solar panel supplier Rod McInnes said Choice had used incorrect figures. "The base cost of the system in their survey is around two times higher than what the actual cost is," he said. "Additionally, the survey is based on power price increases of 3% each year, which is way understating the reality." Tasmanian Greens energy spokesman Kim Booth said the party remained committed to its policy of a $1000 rebate for solar power purchases, "We are disappointed the Government has not seen fit to implement the policy," he said yesterday. "But tile two Green Cabinet members remain committed and are working hard to convince their Cabinet colleagues of the need for a competitive solar rebate,"