Energy Matters Forums

[MichaelB]

Yesterday, the Australian Greens released their Safe Climate Bill. Their vision is for Australia to be powered by 100% renewable energy, with a minimum of 30% by 2020.

Among the recommendations is the the removal of solar hot water systems and heat pumps from the definition of renewable energy, but these would be supported through the payment of upfront costs of implementation and paid back by savings on energy bills.

The Greens also want to see the Solar Credits program ended, replaced by a gross, national feed in tariff for renewable energy.

You can read more here:

http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.p ... cle_id=622

And here:

http://greensmps.org.au/the-safe-climate-bills

What are your thoughts on the Safe Climate Bill?

[norbert]

I've read through some of the greens proposals and they seem quite reasonable and do able to me.The unfortunate reality is that we have a government who pretends to do something about climate change eg.CPRS
But like most other governments they also only think from one to the next election so the main aim is not to upset the electorate.The LIB/NAT opposition are outright climate change deniers as Senator Bernardies appearence on last weeks Q&A would have shown to everyone.I believe the guy reflects the views of the vast majority in his own party so if you don't believe in climate change why would you try to do something about it?
They use every opportunity to scaremonger about businesses being forced to move overseas and resulting job losses.The greens at the same time fighting a loosing battle as they only have 5 Senators and no one in the House of Reps.Being in that position you can forward as many bills as you like as they're rejected by both sides of the house anyway.Let me predict that the government will call the greens bill irresponsible and the opposition a lunacy.The Murdoch press will provide page two of it's tabloids and it will read "Greens plan will get you out of work" and that will be the end of it.
In regards to Solar Credits lets face it,throwing around 5 times the amount of RECS to make up for the former $8000 rebate doesn't help reducing greenhouse gases.As many critics rightly state they're "phantom recs" bought by polluters in order to meet their 20/20 target.It would be better to abolish any form of direct rebates and instead introduce a national gross feed in tariff and a low interest loan for all home owner who wants to buy a PV solar system.The loan can then be paid off with the revenue generated by the electricity fed back into the grid.This would enable every household to participate regardless of income,to me a fairer way of doing it.

[bpratt]

It would be better to abolish any form of direct rebates and instead introduce a national gross feed in tariff and a low interest loan for all home owner who wants to buy a PV solar system.The loan can then be paid off with the revenue generated by the electricity fed back into the grid.This would enable every household to participate regardless of income,to me a fairer way of doing it.

That would make a whole lot more sense, better yet a interest free green loan system.

Something along the lines of up to $30 000 for up to 10 years, rather than the current $10 000 for up to 4 years.

A fair dinkum feed in tariff where people think they might make money out of it.

Electricity went up something like 15% this year in Queensland, with similar price hikes expected next year and apparently every year from there on. This sort of thing is where people will see the benefits... in the hip pocket... Sadly though a lot have been tricked in to thinking that their 1kw system is going to save them truckloads.

However a feed in tariff needs to be a decent value one, otherwise the annual price increase is going to close up to where there's no financial benefit at all as the years roll on.

[franks]

The Greens have a good point this time, scrap any rebates, solar credits, RECS buyback what ever else, just offer a Gross feedin tariff, make the tariff at least 80c per kw/hour, and let the PV component prices be based on the real hardware ($5 per watt installed) cost not some bloted markup due to credits, rebates, gov handouts, ect, users will see the value in investing in small Grid PVs systems, if the payback would be 5-7 years.
For the 1st time The Greens said something right.

[phmorrow]

You all seem to have forgotten those of us who don't have a connection to the grid.

Until it ran out we were able to get a 50% rebate on the cost of installing renewable energy systems which made it possible to generate nearly all our energy needs directly from the sun.

Under the Tariff only scheme we would be forced back to petrol and diesel generators.

My neighbour spends over $60 per week on fuel for her generator.

Not everyone lives in cities.

[franks]

With the improvement in PV and Battery technology and real price are decreasing for RAPS systems
today can have a fully installed RAPS system for $8-10per watt hour , will get cheaper in time.

[AlanM]

I agree with removing solar water heaters and heat pumps from the definition of renewable energy. If anything, they're more likely to fall under the energy efficiency banner. It'd be interesting to see what effect removing them would have on the REC prices.

[phmorrow]

With the improvement in PV and Battery technology and real price are decreasing for RAPS systems
today can have a fully installed RAPS system for $8-10per watt , will get cheaper in time.

I just had a 1kw RAPS system installed last month. It cost $30,000 before the rebate!

Maybe you are only including the cost of panels. the inverter/charger cost $6,000 the batteries cost over $10,000 a backup generator (needed in those parts of Australia that have a wet winter) can cost $5,500.

Yes there are cheaper panels coming onto the market but when they should last 25 years who wants to risk buying equipment made by an unknown maker who might not be around in 25 years?

[beaumoa]

Hi I think the plan has merit however the target of 100% renewable energy is going to send the major parties into a flat spin. Imagine a country that has no need of coal,Gas or oil for electricity generation! there would be little or no need for an ETS it may become irrelevant If that were the case then the politicians arguing for and against it might also become irrelevant !!!!! and we all know how politicians feel about being irrelevant.

[lad]

phmorrow wrote

I just had a 1kw RAPS system installed last month. It cost $30,000 before the rebate!

Maybe you are only including the cost of panels. the inverter/charger cost $6,000 the batteries cost over $10,000 a backup generator (needed in those parts of Australia that have a wet winter) can cost $5,500.

I had my system installed last year $72K for a 7.5KW system and $12K for a 9KW diesel generator. Fully off grid and we got the RAPS rebate. The rebate made it possible. For those on grid, the batteries for a system like this cost $22K.

This system needed generator support through this wet Tassie winter. I would expect our in usual winter conditions to have greatly reduced requirement for the generator.

I have a creek and would like to run micro hydro through the winter, the old rebate would see us carbon neutral for our electricity requirements.