Renewable energy buy-back is heading in right direction

Dr Kaye said: “NSW is the only state not setting up electricity buy-back tariffs to offer financial incentives to households, small businesses and community groups to generate zero-emissions energy.

“Mr O’Farrell has jumped ahead of the government. The opportunity to catch up will come at the meeting of state and territory leaders and the prime minister on Friday.

“Premier Rees can cut himself back into the renewable energy game by being the voice for feed-in tariffs that really do kick-start the small-scale solar power industry in Australia.

“The Opposition supports setting the premium payment to target a ten year payback period for rooftop solar and other no-carbon electricity sources.

“While the Greens think this is a little long, it is important that households have certainty in recovering the large cost of buying and installing solar generating equipment.

“The Opposition’s proposal will only work if the scheme sets a buy-back rate for all the energy generated by the solar panels or other sources.

“Premier Rees can demonstrate his commitment to the thousands of jobs in manufacturing and installing rooftop clean energy systems by arguing for so-called gross feed-in tariffs.

“Allowing electricity suppliers to pay only for the net amount generated, after the household load has been supplied, would hog-tie the scheme. It would take away the certainty in pay-back periods and unfairly reduce the benefit for many consumers.

“Nathan Rees starts out with a legacy of his predecessor’s hostility to renewable energy. Friday will be his big chance to shake off that history and get ahead of the Opposition,” Dr Kaye said.

For more information:    John Kaye 0407 195 455