Accusations of solar households generally being wealthy have been shot down in flames by data from Energex and Energy Matters.
Queensland Treasurer Tim Nicholls recently referred to solar households as the “champagne sippers and the latte set”; even though the “solar is for the rich” myth was busted years ago.
Nothing has changed since – on Thursday, a Brisbane Times article stated:
“The retirees, holiday makers and young families of Caloundra and the working class city of Ipswich have Southeast Queensland’s highest proportion of solar systems according to a breakdown of Energex data.”
This conclusion is backed by national solar provider Energy Matters, which says those who suffer from ongoing electricity price increases are the group most likely to install solar panels. Going solar has been made easier and cheaper for battlers in recent years with the advent of innovative programs such as Energy Matters’ zero-deposit Save As You Go payment plan.
The attempts at demonising owners of solar power systems based on ill-informed opinions is becoming rather old – and politically dangerous. With over 2 million solar households in Australia now; they’ve become a voting force to be reckoned with. Solar users have also become more organised; with bodies such as Solar Citizens now boasting large and active memberships.
Politicians would be well-advised to check their facts before making statements such as Mr. Nicholls’; as the inflammatory and incorrect statements may come back to haunt their parties at the ballot box.
The Queensland Government needs to be particularly careful with how it handles concerns over the skyrocketing cost of electricity in the state; as a beneficiary of those price rises is the Queensland Government. An analysis carried out last year says the large increases in Queensland’s power prices have delivered considerable benefits to the Government – a compounding 114% growth in financial returns every year.
