Current and future solar households in South Australia will be rejoicing after a move by SA Power Networks to penalise solar owners was rejected by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER).
Last month, SA Power Networks submitted a proposal for the South Australian electricity distribution network that included a “Solar Tariff”.
The company had sought to apply what was in effect a $100 a year charge on households with solar power systems in the form of reduced savings compared to what non-solar typical households would have received.
This met with outrage from the solar industry and system owners who believed SA Power Networks used cherry-picked data in order to back its proposal.
After conducting an assessment, the AER determined the Solar Tariff did not comply with the rule requirements stating retail electricity customers with a similar load and usage profile should be treated on an equal basis.
SA Power Networks isn’t exactly hard up for cash either it seems. The company was last year reportedly raking in after-tax profits of $420 a year from each retail electricity customer.
Even if the proposal had been given the nod, solar would have still been a good investment in South Australia. According to Energy Matters, a 4kW solar panel system installed in Adelaide can return a financial benefit of between $1,384 and $2,312 a year depending on the installation scenario and electricity consumption profile.
But it’s not just system owners that benefit. In addition to cutting energy related emissions, solar panels have also helped rein in the wholesale cost of electricity, created jobs in South Australia and positively contributed to the state in other ways.
Grassroots group Solar Citizens welcomed the AER’s decision.
“This is a great victory for solar homeowners in South Australia,” Solar Citizens National Director Claire O’Rourke said.
“Common sense has won the day, this outrageous application by SA Power Networks was nothing more than a money grab from the 184,921 solar homes in South Australia.”
Solar Citizens is in the midst of its ‘Stand up for Solar’ campaign, which calls for an end to unfair fees for solar owners, a national goal of at least 50% renewable energy and a national program to assist low-income households and renters in going ssolar quoteolar.
Part of the campaign will be a series of “Stand Up For Solar Shindigs” to be run by members throughout the nation. The group is calling on solar owners and supporters to host their own events.
“Your Solar Shindig can be as big or as small as you like – whether that’s with a family BBQ, an afternoon tea with your workmates or a full-blown street party in the winter sunshine. What really matters is that you join the Australia-wide call for our representatives to Stand Up for Solar. Together, we’ll throw a nationwide party for solar that can’t be ignored.”
