Queensland Push For National Solar Gross Feed In Tariff

 

With a Queensland election just days away and the issue of renewable energy a hot topic, Premier Anna Bligh has promised Labor will advocate a national  solar gross feed in tariff at the next Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting. 
 
Gross feed in tariff programs have repeatedly proven around the world to stimulate solar power uptake by home owners and businesses, often rapidly exceeding the targets set; such as has been the experience in Spain, Florida and Ontario, Canada.
 
Australia currently has a fractured feed in tariff infrastructure and like other states with a feed in tariff program aside from the ACT, Queensland currently offers a net feed in tariff scheme where only surplus electricity generated by a grid connected solar power system attracts a premium payment. Under a gross model, all electricity generated by a system would be payable.
 
Premier Bligh made the commitment while on the election trail, stating that she feels the best thing for the solar industry in Australia would be for a uniform and consistent approach right across the country. While Ms. Bligh did not commit to a gross feed in tariff program for Queensland in the interim, Queensland Labor's support for a national program is a crucial step forward for not only the solar industry, but towards the reduction of Australia greenhouse gas emissions. 
 
The Liberal National Party has promised that if elected, a gross feed in tariff program paying a rate of 44 cents per kilowatt hour and available to every home, school, shopping centre, sporting club and community facility will be implemented in Queensland.
 
The next COAG meeting has identified renewable energy targets as one of its top agenda items. Initial discussions regarding a national feed in tariff scheme were carried out at a COAG meeting last December, but many supporters of solar power were disappointed by the vague principles discussed that amounted to a watered down, temporary scheme based on a net model; one that will impede uptake and overseas investment.
 
As a result of that meeting, a major petition was launched by Victoria based Energy Matters at FeedInTariff.com.au that has gathered over 12,000 signatures so far of Australians who support a national, gross feed in tariff program. Energy Matters has been intensely lobbying on the issue, most recently having discussed feed in tariffs with the NSW government and opposition and a member of its management team also joining the World Future Council (WFC) panel
 

Victoria's Electricity Related Greenhouse Gas Emissions Skyrocket

 

Energy related greenhouse gas emissions from energy use across Australia’s eastern states fell just 60,000 tonnes or less than one per cent compared with last summer’s emissions according to The Climate Group.

While there were significant fall in emissions from petroleum of almost one million tonnes, or just under four per cent, across all three states, coal fired electricity generation grew substantially, with the main culprit being Victoria. The state depends heavily on brown coal rather than the "cleaner" black variety. 

Victoria saw a rise in overall emissions by some 483,000 tonnes when compared with the previous summer, mostly due to a 5.6 per cent increase in emissions from Victoria’s coal-fired power stations, the equivalent of 851,000 tonnes.

The results will lend even more weight to the case for a push for renewable energy in Victoria, particularly after the state government's recent announcement of a net feed in tariff scheme for grid connect solar power systems. The announcement angered supporters of solar energy who believe a gross feed in tariff, such as the one established recently in the ACT, should have been implemented. 

Victorian Secretary of the Electrical Trades Union, Dean Mighell, described the state's net feed-in laws as "terrible". The 17,000 member strong Victorian ETU has also thrown their support behind a national petition demanding a national, uniform gross feed in tariff being run by Victoria based Energy Matters at FeedInTariff.com.au

Many see a net feed in tariff scheme, which only pays a premium on surplus electricity produced by a renewable energy system, as being a token gesture rather than a real commitment to encouraging investment in the solar power industry and the uptake of solar power by home owners; subsequently decreasing electricity generation related emissions.

News for Monday 16 March, 2009

 

• Geoengineering and solar power
  


• Solar Hot Water Most Efficient
  

View all news for Monday 16 March, 2009 on one page

Recent News

 

• Friday 13 March, 2009
  


• Thursday 12 March, 2009
  


• Wednesday 11 March, 2009
  


• Tuesday 10 March, 2009
  


• Monday 09 March, 2009
  

News archive