Announced last week and in meeting the Western Australian Government’s election commitments, $13.5 million will be allocated over four years to introduce a gross feed-in tariff for home solar energy energy systems in Western Australia. The state’s program will be one of the most generous in Australia.
According to Dr Ray Wills, Chief Executive of WA Sustainable Energy Association Inc (WA SEA), the gross feed in tariff of 60 cents per kilowatt hour, which WA SEA understands is only available only if homes also take on 100% green power supply, will apply to residential grid connect solar power systems up to 10 kilowatt capacity.
Coupled with the current federal $8,000 solar rebate, soon to be replaced by the Solar Credits scheme, smaller systems can be paid off in a very short period, with payback of larger systems less than nine years according to Dr Wills.
While the recent announcement appears to apply only to residential grid connect systems, it seems the Barnett Government is open to explore an appropriate renewable energy buyback scheme for small to medium businesses also.
With the Western Australia announcement, New South Wales is now the only state not to offer some form of feed in tariff. Western Australia’s generous program has now raised the bar for all other states, particularly those only offering a net feed in tariff. The current wide variation between state-run schemes will also increase the call for a national, uniform solar gross feed in tariff system.
In other Western Australia budget related solar news, a further $6.5 million will be available over the next three years for the expanded solar schools program.
