Tie A Yellow Ribbon For NSW Solar

The yellow ribbon is a symbol of remembering something - and it's a symbol now being used to remind the New South Wales Government of its commitments under the state's Solar Bonus Scheme.

The yellow ribbon is a symbol of remembering something – and it’s a symbol now being used to remind the New South Wales Government of its commitments under the state’s Solar Bonus Scheme.
    
The Australian Solar Energy Society (AuSES) is encouraging solar supporters in New South Wales and throughout the nation to wear and place yellow ribbons in high profile locations as a reminder of the 120,000 solar contracts that have been broken by the NSW government after it announced its intentions to slash the solar feed in tariff retrospectively. 
   
Retrospective legislation of this nature, according to the Coalition’s own philosophy as pointed out by Liberal MP Catherine Cusack is "unprecedented and repugnant."
    
The messages AuSES wishes to relay to the NSW state government through the yellow ribbon campaign are "no abhorrent retrospective legislation" and a fair price on user generated solar electricity exported to the mains grid going forward. 
   
AuSES also wants to see legislation to make power companies pay the same rate for solar power as customers pay for coal fired power from the grid, and in the process, save 5,400 solar related jobs in the state. Many people are unaware that electricity retailers are reselling electricity generated by household solar power systems for up to 40c/kWh.
   
On Tuesday, New South Wales Premier Barry O’Farrell announced provisions would be put in place for solar households in NSW with "genuine hardship cases", but the gesture has been widely criticised. A letter was sent out by an alliance of organisations including AuSES earlier this week detailing how $455 million could be saved from the Solar Bonus Scheme without retrospective cuts.
    
AuSES says it will keep up the pressure on the government, and is co-ordinating rolling rallies around the state over the coming week and a half, culminating in a major rally in Sydney on a date to be advised.
   

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