Solar bonus generates a mega-load of energy (50-megawatt milestone 18 months before expected).

[depakid]

THE NSW Government's solar bonus scheme, which pays householders for the electricity they generate from their rooftop panels, has proved so popular it has reached a 50-megawatt milestone 18 months before expected. But experts have warned that it is too generous and too short-term to encourage the industry investment in solar that is vital for a renewable energy future.

They argue the scheme must be expanded to include commercial customers, not just small-scale residential properties. The solar panel program was established in January, offering households 60¢ a kilowatt hour for all the electricity generated until 2017. It is the most generous scheme in the country and one of only two that pay a tariff on all energy generated (the other being in the ACT, which pays 45.7¢ a kilowatt hour.

All other states and territories offer net tariffs, which pay only for the excess power householders return to the grid after using what they require. The NSW scheme was inundated with applications, and an estimated 30,000 householders are being paid to feed renewable energy into the grid.

It was to have been reviewed in 2012 or when 50 megawatts capacity was reached, whichever came first. But the capacity point was reached this week, eight months into the program, triggering a review announced by the Energy Minister, Paul Lynch. It was the right time to evaluate the scheme, he said.

He reiterated that the length and the tariff rate of the scheme were locked into legislation. "If any changes are to be proposed, the legislation would need to be amended and we are on the record stating that any changes would not be applied retrospectively."

But Dr Mark Diesendorf, of the institute of environmental studies at the University of NSW, said the current tariff was too high and the seven-year period too short. ''They should have given a lower tariff for a longer period to ensure more stable growth of the industry.'' ''The short burst … isn't going to give enough support for industry to come back and manufacture in Australia.''

He nominated 40¢ a kilowatt hour as adequate and over 15 years. ''You wouldn't have got this mad rush and you would have got stimulus for investment.''

More: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/solar-bonus-generates-a-megaload-of-energy-20100827-13vzm.html

[phantom power]

1. holy fucking shit -- 60 cents / kwh ??? gross???

You know, if there was a program that paid me one... million... dollars to put panels on my roof, I'd probably find the time to participate.

:rofl:

[depakid]

2. The opposition (who'll be running the state soon) agrees:

The opposition spokeswoman on the environment, Catherine Cusack, said the scheme risked producing a boom and bust situation, where there was high demand in the short term and then nothing. ''For the people who went in early (including herself), they are going to do extremely well out of it.''

[NickB79]

4. Christ, I'd be cutting down my yard trees and covering my lawn in solar panels

60 cents/kwh is fucking ridiculous.

[depakid]

7. Not in my local council area you wouldn't!

Newcastle City Council considers trees to be significant capital assets. They are as much part of the community infrastructure as roads and footpaths.

The following information provides a general guide to questions about tree injury, removal and pruning in the Newcastle local government area. You should seek further advice from Council before you take any action over trees.

What do I need to do if I want to prune, injure or remove a tree on my property?

You need to get the appropriate approval from Newcastle City Council before you injure, cut down or prune a tree on your land.

To get approval you need to submit a Complying Development Application to Council (54kb pdf). You will need to include a written report prepared by an arborist or qualified tree worker.

An arborist (or arboriculturist) is a specialist with diploma qualifications in the care of urban trees. The Newcastle Local Environment Plan (LEP) 2003 provides a definition of an arborist and a tree worker. It is important you determine that the arborist’s qualifications meet the requirements of the LEP before you employ them.

http://www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/my_property/trees

:o

[OnlinePoker]

9. Does this include fruit trees?

I prune my own trees every year. I would hate to think I would have to go to a bureaucrat to do something that I and my parents have been doing all our lives.

[depakid]

10. LOL- it's not quite that bad

but it is serious business to cut back (or cut down) large native trees. We have a big gum in the back that the council provided years ago which was only supposed to be a "small to medium size" tree. Now it shades a large swarth of the garden area in the winter.

Obviously, we're none too happy about that, but there's not a lot we can do (and nothing DIY) unless we decide to build a granny flat back there.

Pays to keep the fruit trees well pruned- because depending on the fruit, you have to net them otherwise the bats (or the parrots) will take more than their "fair share."

[ladjf]

3. Thanks for the info depakid. nt

[grahamhgreen]

5. It shows these schemes work, and we need one here, yesterday. (They have a similar one in Germany)

[OnlinePoker]

6. What's interesting is that 60 cents/kwh is gross, not net.

So if your house produces 10kwh per day and you use 9 kwh of electricity, you get $6.00, not 60 cents. They don't say what electricity is priced at in NSW, however.

http://www.industry.nsw.gov.au/energy/sustainable/renewable/solar/solar-scheme/faq

[depakid]

8. 15.6 cents/kwh here, though rates depend where you are and how much you use