A potential looming threat to charge solar households for being energy efficient and improving Australia’s clean energy infrastructure will face stiff opposition from many of the 1 million solar households in Australia.
Solar Citizens, a grassroots group fighting for the rights of Australian solar owners and supporters, launched the petition late last month and at the time of writing the initiative was rapidly approaching 17,000 signatures.
“This sun tax is outrageous – over 1 million families in Australia have made the move to solar to take control of their energy production and reduce their energy bills. It’s unfair that families who have done the right thing would be penalised in any way,” states part of the petition statement.
While the so-called “Sun Tax” is by no means set in stone – it’s just an ill-conceived idea from some corners; a spark fanned by mainstream media reporting – early action now by the group will send a very loud and clear signal to the government that such a move simply isn’t on.
“We’re aiming to collect 25,000 signatures on our ‘Don’t Tax the Sun’ petition by the end of November, in time for when we take the petition to Parliament in Canberra to show the strength of the solar community in Australia,” says Nick Taylor, Solar Citizens Campaigner.
Solar Citizens says big energy companies are threatened by the rapid uptake of solar as it is hitting their profits.
“That’s why these companies are using their political power to try and see every solar home hit with additional fees and charges just for connecting to the grid…in simple terms, they are recommending we tax the sun.”
While electricity pricing reform is certainly needed, national solar provider Energy Matters believes solar is part of the solution, not the problem. The company has offered a series of recommendations it considers would constitute real and fair electricity pricing reform.
