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Community solar project ends
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Posted: 10/06/2009
A COMMUNITY solar energy project has ended with the immediate termination of the Australian Government's $8000 solar energy rebate.
The Pure Local Energy Project, facilitated by the North East Greenhouse Alliance on behalf of nine local governments, complemented the Australian Government's Solar Homes and Communities Plan (SHCP), which was providing financial support of up to $8000 for installing a 1kW solar panel system.
The resident participation phase of the project has now ended with the termination of residential solar energy rebates under the plan.
Residents who submitted rebate application forms with the project supplier in their municipality before June 9 are still eligible to receive the $8000 rebate as the Federal Government has committed to processing all existing rebate applications.
The new Solar Credits scheme is replacing the former plan, with the new scheme to be legislated under the expanded Renewable Energy Target. Under the new system, it has been suggested that suppliers can offer discounts to residents or businesses installing renewable energy systems depending on the market price of a solar credit, instead of offering households a flat rebate plus RECs, which residents can monetise.
North East Greenhouse Alliance executive officer Nikki Scott said the immediate implementation of the new scheme was good news.
“We understand that the SCHP is now oversubscribed and has become unsustainable,” she said.
Ms Scott said that the alliance would closely monitor the release of the upcoming legislation and its guidelines, which is due to go before Parliament next week.
“We will make ourselves familiar with the new legislation as soon as it is passed and guidelines are available and we anticipate that the new scheme will continue to foster a growing interest in solar systems,” she said.
Available figures show that close to 100,000 installations will be completed through the SHCP.
