Imports blamed as solar plant closes

Summaries - Australian Financial ReviewI
18 August 2011, Page: 8

In a blow to the Federal government's attempts to promote its carbon price scheme, Silex Systems, Australia's only maker of solar cells for roof-top panels will shut its Sydney solar cell facility. Silex Systems chief executive Michael Goldsworthy said, "We have a flood of cheap Asian imports". He also said it was "ironic that the silicon-based technology was invented at the University of New South Wales". A spokesperson for Climate Change Minister Greg Combet said the closure and the loss of 30 jobs reinforced "the need to legislate the clean energy package without delay".

However, Liberal shadow environment minister Greg Hunt said it made a "mockery of the government's clean energy future mantra". Australian Greens deputy leader Christine Milne said, "Where is the outcry over yet more job losses in the solar sector?" Australian Manufacturing Workers Union NSW secretary Tim Ayres said the Federal government "needs to make sure we maintain the clean energy technology we have got in difficult circumstances". Dr Goldsworthy also noted that the over the last few years most of the benefit of the state government feed-in tariffs had gone to offshore panel manufacturers. Silex Systems will continue to make solar PV panels.