[Greens-Media] Keneally should reconsider Greens solar bonus compromise

[John Kaye]

Keneally should reconsider Greens solar bonus compromise

Media release: 31 October 2010

The Greens are calling on the Keneally government to admit their slash-and-burn approach to out-of-control solar bonus payments to household rooftop panels was a big mistake and introduce legalisation to increase the rate to at least 30 cents a kilowatt-hour. (http://bit.ly/sh101031)

Greens NSW MP John Kaye said: "While there was a good case for taking the foot off the accelerator, Labor has slammed on the brakes.

"The 60 cents a kilowatt-hour bonus paid to rooftop solar panels was too high but slashing the rate to 20 cents will throw the industry from boom to bust.

"At 60 cents all other households would have paid a high price to support windfall profits for the owners of panels.

"At 20 cents the solar industry will be decimated, businesses will be driven to the wall and jobs will be lost.

"While The Greens would have preferred a 40 cents gross tariff, we offered to compromise with the Keneally government on 30 cents per kilowatt-hour.

"This is far from perfect but at least it would have encouraged enough households to install solar generators to allow the industry to survive.

"The cost difference between the two rates is less than $6 a year for each household that does not have panels. It is too small to be noticeable in the face of massive increases in bills caused by the unnecessary expenditure on new wires, poles and substations.

"Labor and the Coalition rejected our compromise 30 cents amendment when the legislation went through last week.

"The Keneally government has one last chance to fix its over-reaction when parliament sits next week.

"The Coalition wants to close the scheme entirely which would have been a death sentence for the rooftop solar industry.

"It is important that Labor gets this right to make it much harder for an O'Farrell government to axe the bonus and kill off the clean energy future," Dr Kaye said. 

For more information:	John Kaye 0407 195 455