Federal – Renewable electricity STCs
At present, there are no direct federal rebates available for small-scale solar photovoltaic, wind power and micro-hydro systems.
However, small-scale systems are eligible for support under the new enhanced Renewable Energy Target (RET).
The enhanced RET allows for the creation of Small Technology Certificates (STCs) for small-scale solar, small wind and micro-hydro systems, which will provide a discount off the upfront cost of installing these technologies. The STCs are created and traded through the renewable energy market.
STCs are issued by the government for the generation of renewable energy, which electricity retailers and other ‘liable parties’ (such as large users of electricity) are then obliged to purchase in order to fulfill their mandatory commitments under the RET legislation. The RET seeks to ensure that 20% of Australia’s electricity supply come from renewable sources by 2020, as imposed by the federal government’s Mandatory Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000.
| Scheme type | Federal Government Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator (ORER) Small Technology Certificates (STCs). |
| Eligible renewable technology/item | Small renewable generation units, including:
|
| Applicable sector | Households |
| Rebate amount | Renewable energy systems generate STCs based on the size, location and type of the system (solar, hydro or wind). For example, a typical (1kW) solar PV system will generate between 1 and 1½ STCs annually, depending on its location. The buy-back price for STCs varies over time, depending on supply and demand. |
| Additional information | You may either register with Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator (ORER) to create STCs yourself, or assign the rights of the STCs generated by your system to an agent (possibly the installer of your system). If you choose to generate your own you would then sell the STCs (at a negotiated price) through an electricity retailer, STCs agent or trader. Calculating the STCs generated for a system is relatively straight-forward; explanations and fact sheets can be download from: Solar: www.orer.gov.au/publications/photovoltaic.html Wind: www.orer.gov.au/publications/wind.html Hydro: www.orer.gov.au/publications/hydro.html |
| Contact information | For further details, please visit the Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator: www.orer.gov.au/sgu/index.html |
Solar Credits Program
The Solar Credits program is part of the enhanced RET. Solar Credits are available to households and businesses that install small-scale solar PV, small wind and micro-hydro electricity systems.
The scheme works by multiplying the number of tradeable STCs able to be created for eligible installations. If the system is installed between 9 June 2009 and 30 June 2011, the homeowner will receive five times as many STCs as under the deeming arrangements for the existing RET scheme. From 1 July 2011, the multiplier will reduce to three times, and will decrease by a factor of 1 each year until it reaches and stays at a multiplier of one from 1 July 2013.
Solar Credits will apply to new installations of small-scale renewable energy generators eligible under the scheme. Solar credits will apply to the first 1.5 kilowatts (kW) of capacity installed for grid-connected systems, and will apply to the first 20 kilowatts of capacity installed for off-grid systems. Generation from capacity above the 1.5 kilowatts or 20 kilowatts limit will still be eligible for the standard 1:1 rate of STCs creation. The credits will only apply to the first small-scale generation system installed at an address.
| Scheme Type | Solar Credits scheme under expanded RET | |
| Eligible renewable technology/item | Solar photovoltaic, small wind and micro-hydro systems, minimum 450-watt peak (ppW) output | |
| Applicable sector | Households and community use buildings | |
| Rebate amount | Depending on sector: (from July 1, 2011) |
Homes, businesses, community buildings: 3 times the normal STCs. |
| Schools: up to $50,000 for solar power system with a minimum size of 2 kilowatts as part of the National Solar Schools Program. | ||
| Additional information | If you are seeking a rebate on an extension to an existing PV system you can expect $5 per peak watt, up to a $5000. However, if you have previously received a PVRP rebate for a system less than 1kW you may be eligible for an extension rebate to bring the system up to 1kW capacity. | |
| Contact information | Federal | Department of Climate Change: http://www.climatechange.gov.au/ And the Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator, www.orer.gov.au |
