By Lilia Guan
NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell said the state government will not proceed with planned changes to the Solar Bonus Scheme.
Mr O’Farrell said it became clear crossbenchers in the Upper House would not support the planned changes.
"I wanted to do everything possible to reduce the cost to taxpayers of the Solar Bonus Scheme and keep a lid on electricity prices,” he said.
“However, I am a realist and there is no point putting up legislation to the Upper House which is going to be rejected.”
Mr O'Farrell said a new report by KPMG showed the cost of the scheme will be around $1.44 billion – compared with the original estimates of around $1.9 billion in Labor's Duffy Parry report.
Australian Solar Energy Society’s (AUSES) chief executive officer, John Grimes said it led a ‘vigorous’ campaign against the retrospective changes to the solar bonus scheme and in support of a fair price for solar going forward.
“Beyond NSW this is a big win for solar in Australia,” he said.
“There is now an urgent need for a coordinated approach to feed in tariffs nationally and we will be prosecuting this case.”
However to make a strong solar future a reality in NSW it’s important the NSW government puts in place a fair price for solar going forward,” Mr Grimes said.
“The solar industry in NSW remains in crisis, with many solar companies already letting staff go and slashing costs,” he said.
“The government must urgently act to put an end to this uncertainty, or 8000 solar jobs will be lost, and companies closed.”
The Clean Energy Council has also welcomed a decision by the NSW Government to honour the level of support for 120000 households that have
installed solar power systems.
Clean Energy Council chief executive Matthew Warren said the O’Farrell Government was to be congratulated for its demonstrated commitment to the solar industry in NSW.
“The retention of the 60 cent gross feed-in tariff is great news for those households which have made the commitment to generating clean solar energy from their homes,” he said.
"Solar panels will be the Hills Hoist of the 21st century and it’s important to ensure we have a safe and efficient industry to deliver this as the cost of the technology continues to fall and the cost of electricity continues to increase.”
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I am so so happy that Mr O”Farrell has come to his senses. I myself spent a lot of money putting solar on my roof, and could not understand how they could break a contract I had entered into. There will be a lot of happy Australians rejoicing about this today. Hip Hip Hooray!!!! Now I can retire in a couple of years better off. I might add also I sent letters off to Barry O’Farrell Gareth Ward & Shelly Hancock,I feel now my time was not wasted putting pen to paper, along with many other Australians.
Go Aussie’s Go!!
Regards Christine
Protest to close Coal fire Power Generator.
The green movement has won the solar power debate over the state government today, we are now going to move on the state coal power generator to close them all down.
Solar power can supplied the state with clean power. The Protest will take places soon, with the support of the backbencher, cross bencher and Hollywood actors we can win this battle to have coal power stations shut down by 2012-2013.
This is not a win for those of us the elected not to install systems or coul;d not afford to do so. We will have to pay increased taxes or power costs to support those pid 60 cents for their solar power instead of that power purchased at around 10 cents from conventional power stations.
This is a rort, was always a rort and now continues to be a rort. Shame of the government fro allowing this to continue.
Centralize solar sites , leave coal alone , co fire coal power stations with natural gas, install new gas base load with indigenous gas from NSW coal seam methane , about time all realized it is under our noses.