Family First pinches the pennies from household solar power
Solar homes lose financial support
Senator Steve Fielding has infuriated households and plunged the solar industry into free fall after he left Australians with virtually no support for solar power installations, says the Alternative Technology Association (ATA).
Senator Fielding, along with Senator Xenopohon and the Coalition deferred the Renewable Energy Target (RET) legislation late last night.
“The new legislation would have provided households wishing to install solar with additional financial support now that the solar rebate has been cancelled,” says Damien Moyse, Energy Policy Manager for ATA.
The RET legislation was due to replace the federal government’s recently ended Solar Rebate Scheme, which provided households with $8000 to assist with the up-front cost of rooftop solar systems.
“Senator Fielding’s decision means we now have nothing to replace the $8000 rebate and the cost of a standard 1 kW solar system has now risen to approximately $9,000,” says Mr Moyse.
“This decision will have huge ramifications for the solar industry, with little financial assistance there will be few households able to afford solar.”
Senator Fielding has deferred the RET legislation to an economics committee that won’t report back until mid August 2009.
The RET legislation would have seen households installing solar receive multiple Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), which can be sold to offset the up-front cost of a system.
“Families that missed out on the solar rebate are now faced with the prospect of virtually no support for solar installations, for months to come,” says Mr Moyse.
