New IPART Recommendation a Rort for NSW Solar Owners
Solar Citizens has called on the NSW Energy Minister to step in and ensure solar owners get a fair price for the solar they feed into the grid after the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal today released a recommendation to slash the feed-in tariff to 7.5c/kWh, down from 11.9-15c/kWh.
“A feed-in tariff of 7.5c is simply daylight robbery and it’s time for the NSW Government to make sure that NSW solar households are getting a fair price for the clean power they produce,” said Shani Tager, Senior Campaigner at Solar Citizens.
IPART is proposing to cut the feed-in tariff benchmark because the wholesale price of electricity during the day has fallen due to increased solar exports.
“You wouldn’t pay an employee less because they were delivering great outcomes, so why would you rip solar owners off because they are bringing down the price of power for everyone?
“Solar households in NSW cut $2.2 billion off the the wholesale price of power for everybody in the state in just one year and they helped keep the lights on during the heatwaves.
“The NSW Government needs to step in and mandate a fair price for rooftop solar that’s fed back into the grid, recognising the many benefits of rooftop solar, such as grid savings, environmental and health values that are not recognised at the moment.
“A fair, mandated feed-in tariff means solar households aren’t left at the mercy of big energy companies and have certainty about their household budget.
“400,00 plus solar households in NSW have stumped up their own cash to put solar on their roof and unless the Government does something big retail companies will pay them a pittance for the clean energy they produce,” said Ms Tager.
ENDS
Solar Feed-in Tariffs are paid to solar owners for the excess electricity that they generate and feed into the grid. In NSW IPART sets an annual benchmark to guide electricity retailers in setting their feed-in tariff.
Media contact: Stephanie Gray 0425543006
