Solar supply representatives, installers, and industry body members gathered at the Sydney Town Hall last Friday to express their views on the NSW government’s decision to drastically reduce the state’s solar power feed in tariff from 60c to 20c.
The Solar Crisis Rally was organised by the Australian Solar Energy Society (AUSES), Solar Energy Industries Association INC (SEIA) and the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) and was attended by media and politicians. National solar power solutions provider Energy Matters was a major sponsor of the event.
AUSES, SEIA and the AMWU have been in talks with the Keneally government, the Opposition and the Greens, but no positive outcomes for the future of the solar industry have yet been reached.
“Is our industry too important to be left to politicians?” questioned John Grimes, AUSES Chief Executive Officer.
Mr Grimes said that the NSW government, a representative for whom was conspicuously absent from the rally, do not believe that the slashing of the Solar Bonus Scheme will affect the industry.
AMWU NSW Secretary, Tim Ayres is certain it will.
With so much uncertainty created by the government’s decision, Mr Ayres questions whether it will be possible for Australia to become a global solar exporting and manufacturing leader, in a world where so many other countries are already showing their capabilities.
“There is no doubt that we’re going to shift to a low carbon economy”, said Mr Ayres, “but what is this economy going to look like? What sort of jobs will exist?”
The NSW Greens’ John Kaye MP described the Solar Bonus Scheme as the Titanic of solar policies, saying that the government should have acted to defuse the campaign of misinformation, led by the fossil fuel-funded Institute of Public Affairs, which has now had a devastating impact upon the solar industry.
“Would the NSW government have treated the coal industry with the same contempt?” Mr Kaye asked.
Catherine Cusack MLC, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability, lamented the lack of consultation of the industry during the Keneally government’s decision making process.
Ms Cusack said that the Solar Bonus Scheme was flawed from day one, as the high 60c tariff was never going to be sustainable, however has not offered up an alternate tariff proposition.
Among the installers and solar suppliers whose voices were heard at the rally, Energy Matters NSW team member, Rana Mitra spoke of his passion for the renewable energy industry.
“We had a crazy night on Wednesday trying to get as many people over the line and now there are absolutely no leads, nobody’s calling and no one’s even considering solar energy anymore”, Mr Mitra said.
“We have a couple of months of work and after that there’s a whole lot of uncertainty about what’s going to happen. I love this industry… it’s absolutely mind blowing what’s happening and what the government has done.”
