LOCAL solar energy advocates have described the federal government’s latest swing at the renewable industry as “a major blow”.
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The government has pulled the plug on rooftop and small-scale solar investments, which currently make up a third of all Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) ventures.
Armidale-based owner of New England Solar Power, Rob Taber, saw the move as the latest step in a vendetta against the renewable industry.
The draft investment mandate calls for “mature and established clean energy technologies ... to be excluded from the corporation’s activities, including extant wind technology and household and small-scale solar”, The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Sunday.
He held “grave concerns” for the future of his industry, as well as the 10,000 jobs related to solar.
Mr Taber said the withdrawal of subsidies for solar panels on households and businesses would “affect the industry badly”.
“In removing the subsidy, (customers) will not be able to justify putting the panels on,” Mr Taber said.
The Australian Solar Council said the CEFC had made it possible for retirees and people on low incomes to invest in solar and save on their power bills.
Mr Taber agreed there were major advantages for retirees, who often spent much of the day at home and could reap the benefits of solar, and the change would affect our ageing population.
“If (Abbott) is not allowing people to invest in solar, then certainly he’s putting them at a disadvantage,” he said. “It’s a really dangerous situation for the solar industry.
“I’ve been in the solar industry for 16 years, and we’ve always needed some sort of lift up to get it established.
“We’ve been getting closer to parity all the time, and we didn’t want to continue handouts, but ... the really disappointing thing is that if we could have had another three or four years, we would have got there.”
State MP for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall yesterday reiterated his strong support for renewable projects in the region, including the Zero Net Energy Town pilot at Uralla, the Moree Solar Farm and the Glen Innes White Rock Windfarm project.
“It is vital that governments continue to support the development of these and other projects,” Mr Marshall said.
He said there were “obvious environmental benefits” and “huge economic gains” for the region, as well as “overwhelming support in the community”.
Yesterday in Tamworth, New England MP Barnaby Joyce defended the government’s decision and said it was vital renewable industries learned to “stand on their own two feet”.
“If they don’t commercially stand up for the long-term and government policy changes, then you’re left with a stranded asset,” Mr Joyce said.
“We want to make sure over the long-term things are commercially viable in such a way that they can stand on their own two feet.”