ACT Minister for the Environment Simon Corbell says a review of the Territory’s roof-top solar feed-in tariff initiative proves the program has been a success.
“The ACT went from less than 1000 connections prior to the start of the scheme in 2009 to 10,175 FiT-supported connections with a capacity of 26.0 MW in operation today. These installations are spread right across Canberra in all established suburbs,” Mr Corbell said.
In addition to the feed-in-tariff supported installations, 18.8 MW of non FiT supported solar panel capacity is installed in the ACT; for a total of just shy of 45 MW of solar PV.
According to the latest data from Australia’s Clean Energy Regulator, there are currently approximately 15,933 small scale solar power systems in the Territory. The postcode with the highest number of solar panel arrays is 2615, which incorporates Charnwood, Dunlop, Florey, Flynn, Fraser, Higgins, Holt, Kippax, Kippax Centre, Latham, Macgregor, Melba, and Spence.
Minister Corbell said the cost of installing solar PV systems in the ACT is estimated to have decreased by more than 70% during the period the more generous scheme was open to new applicants. The review states solar is now cost effective without further subsidies.
According to Energy Matters, a 5.2kW solar power system installed in Canberra can return a financial benefit of $1,001 – $1,446 a year depending on installation scenario and consumption profile. For those installing solar panels now, the feed-in tariff rate for surplus electricity is 6.0c – 7.5c per kilowatt hour.
Some solar households in the ACT would now be gearing up for the battery storage revolution.
Information via the Clean Energy Council states feed in tariffs are not payable in the ACT if a system includes a storage device connected to any other source of electricity, except in the case of a compliant renewable energy generator under the Electricity Feed-in (Renewable Energy Premium) Act 2008 (PDF).
The ACT has set a goal of 100% renewable energy by 2025, which includes the electric light rail project linking Canberra’s Civic to Gungahlin in the north.
Last month, Minister Corbell said the Territory was on track to reaching its 2020 90% goal; with 60 per cent to be attained by 2017 and 80 per cent by 2018.
