Tuesday, May 17, 2011

This was bound to happen

Solar Bonus Scheme

On Friday 13 May 2011 the Minister for Resources and Energy Christopher
Hartcher announced a reduction in tariff rates for participants in the Solar
Bonus Scheme from 60 cents per kilowatt hour to 40 cents. The Association
has written to the Minister expressing our concern for this retrospective
policy decision, which will come into effect on 1 July 2011. Rural
Australians who have installed larger systems are to be the heaviest hit by
this change, with many having borrowed money to participate in the Scheme.
The Association has called for, as a minimum, assistance in the form of an
interest free green loans scheme to be made available for farming businesses
who have invested in solar generation as a result of the scheme.