Bligh's solar scheme gets in hot water

Courier Mail
Wednesday 10/3/2010 Page: 10

A KEY election promise to provide 200,000 cut-price solar hot water systems to Queensland households has been dumped by the Bligh Government less than a year after it was launched. Only 1600 systems have been installed under the problem-plagued program, although the Government has promised that 1100 householders who have already signed contracts will have their installations completed. Energy Minister Stephen Robertson yesterday announced the energy-saving scheme would be "cancelled" because the state could not afford to fund a $100 million shortfall caused by the Federal Government's recent decision to reduce its solar rebates.

The program, which was to deliver solar hot water systems for just $500 or $100 for pensioners, relied on the federal rebates to bring the price down. But in a further embarrassment yesterday, it was revealed the main supplier in the program, German company Conergy, had been suspended after it was discovered it did not have the appropriate licences to operate in Queensland. In a bid to dismiss any comparison to the bungled federal insulation scheme, both Mr Robertson and Premier Anna Bligh yesterday stressed the problem was a "technical breach" relating to the parent company and didn't involve safety issues.

Opposition energy spokesman Jeff Seeney said the program had been a dud. But Ms Bligh said her Government remained committed to offering affordable solar hot water systems to the public and a new scheme would be rolled out within weeks. Federal Energy Efficiency Minister Penny Wong is meanwhile likely to announce this week that some green loan assessors will have to be retrained. She is remaining tight-lipped on the planned overhaul, but is expected to concede that some people who become assessors under the program - which advised homeowners on energy efficiency measures - did not receive appropriate training from accredited organisations.

Greens deputy leader Christine Milne said the Government needed to come clean about its plans. "Assessors are crying out for help to either skill up to grow their businesses or recoup their losses and get out,," Senator Milne said. "The department should offer to retrain any assessors who want and need it, or pay back the costs they sunk into the program. "It is also important to address how assessors are supposed to make a decent living when they are limited to only five jobs a week."

Senator Wong's office would not comment on the changes to the program. However, last week Senator Wong told The Courier-Mail she was "very conscious" of concerns relating to the program. Also this week, Climate Change Minister Greg Combet is expected to revisit the home insulation debacle, which has had the Government on the backfoot for weeks.