Your solar payments are under threat

WHEN is supporting this Tasmanian campaign to protect the feed-in tariffs currently enjoyed by householders supplying renewable energy to Aurora.  Here is a letter received from Save Solar Tasmania:

Subject: Your solar payments are under threat

Dear fellow Tasmanian

The future of solar power in Tasmania is under threat.

From 1 January next year, Aurora will cease to exist as a retailer and the household and small business customers (that’s you) will be sold to one of two private retailers. Solar PV owners in Tasmania currently receive around 27c for each kWh they export under Aurora’s tariff 31. But there won’t be an Aurora next year! Despite repeated requests, submissions and lobbying, all that the Minister for Energy, Bryan Green will say is that there will be a ‘fair and reasonable’ feed in tariff and the government is still taking advice on the issue. The ‘fair and reasonable’ tariff paid to customers in Victoria is 8c/kWh. In NSW no feed in tariff is mandated, some retailers pay nothing for the power fed into the grid, and some pay just 5.2c!

What does this mean for you?

If you are an existing solar owner: it means right now there is no certainty over the future of the payments for the clean safe energy you are generating and feeding into the grid.

If you are a Tasmanian that hopes to one day install solar on your roof: it means that while your investment will help you lower your own power bills, you are likely to get a much lower price for the excess energy you create – effectively subsidising the big power companies!

Sign the petition to ensure current and future Tasmanian solar owners receive a fair price for the solar power they feed into the grid: http://www.solarcitizens.org.au/savesolartasmania

All this is why Save Solar Tasmania - a new alliance of businesses, householders and community groups - has come together to call on the State government to act urgently to safeguard investment in Tasmania's solar homes.

We are teaming up with the soon to launch Solar Citizens project - to bring together the 10,000 solar homes in Tasmania, as well as everyone who one day hopes to go solar - to tell the Tasmanian government to give solar a fair go.

Sign the petition here: http://www.solarcitizens.org.au/savesolartasmania

For most Tasmanians using the power of the sun to generate energy just makes sense. Solar brings many benefits including new jobs, reduced wholesale power prices and new generation of clean safe energy. It helps build a network of renewable energy generation across a range of sources (solar, wind, hydro) and enhances Tasmania’s reputation of being clean and green.

We look forward to working with you to ensure a strong future for solar in Tassie. Please sign and share the petition today. We will keep you up to date with our Tasmanian campaign and you will also receive news on the national Solar Citizens campaign.

Regards,

Jack Gilding

On behalf of Save Solar Tasmania

WHEN is keen to hear from West Hobartians with solar PV installed.  It would be good to build a local network so that we can share our experiences and perhaps some better practices.  Pls contact Di Elliffe at whenvnet@gmail.com.