Details of the long awaited solar feed in tariff for Western Australia were announced yesterday.
Originally announced as a gross feed in tariff in May last year, by June 2009, the Western Australian government instead settled on a net feed in tariff; meaning that instead of all power produced by a residential solar power system attracting a premium payment, only surplus electricity would be eligible.
Since that decision was made last year, it has been a long wait for Western Australian households eager to purchase solar power systems as eligibility criteria, rates and an official start date weren’t announced until yesterday.
Western Australia’s Residential Net Feed-in Tariff Scheme will commence August 1, 2010 and pay a rate of 40 c/kWh for net electricity exported to the mains grid. This rate is in addition to any schemes offered by electricity retailers.
Solar households signing on for the Residential Net Feed-in Tariff Scheme will receive the premium rate for 10 years. Solar power systems will be limited in size to 5kW for Synergy customers and 10kW per phase (30kW in total) for Horizon Power customers.
The scheme will be reviewed every 3 years or for each 10MW of new generation added under the initiative.
Solar power system owners won’t be the only ones to benefit – wind power and micro-hydro energy systems will also be included.
The Residential Net Feed-in Tariff Scheme will be administered by Synergy and Horizon Power and existing customers of the Renewable Energy Buyback Scheme will be notified regarding payments from their electricity retailer.
Further details: Residential Net Feed-in Tariff Scheme
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