Queensland
The Queensland Government Solar Bonus Scheme (the Scheme) pays eligible households and other small customers for the surplus electricity generated from solar photovoltaic (PV) panel systems, which is exported to the Queensland electricity grid. The Scheme is designed to make solar power more affordable for Queenslanders, stimulate the solar power industry and encourage energy efficiency.
The Scheme rewards customers whenever they generate more electricity than they are using – not just the balance at the end of the quarter, but whenever generation exceeds consumption during the day.
July 01, 2011
The Queensland Government Solar Bonus Scheme was commenced. It is designed to boost the state’s use of renewable energy, encourage energy efficiency and stimulate the solar power industry in Queensland.
Customers wishing to reap the benefits of the Scheme will need a solar PV system installed on their premises and have it connected to the electricity grid. Eligible customers will have the option to join the Scheme when the system is installed.
How Much Will I Benefit?
Customers participating in the Scheme will be paid 44 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) for surplus electricity fed into the grid—more than double the current general domestic use tariff of 21.35c/kWh (Tariff 11 inc GST as at 1 July 2010).
The average customer operating a 1.5 kilowatt (kW) solar system could save over $400 per year on their electricity bill just by using less electricity from the grid. Solar Bonus Scheme customers also receive payments for exporting excess electricity back to the grid, meaning that these savings could be higher.
The amount of electricity a customer returns to the grid will depend on how much energy is being consumed while the solar panels are generating power. Customers may be able to maximize their solar bonus by improving the energy efficiency of their home to export more electricity to the grid. This could be achieved by reducing standby power consumption, shifting some tasks to the evening and minimizing the use of air-conditioners.
The customer’s grid-connected electricity consumption will also be lower (than without a solar system) as a result of the household or business consuming a portion of its electricity directly from the solar system.
Am I Eligible?
To be eligible to receive the Solar Bonus, customers must:
- consume less than 100 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity a year (the average household uses approximately 7.9MWh a year)
- purchase and install a new solar PV (photovoltaic) system (solar power system not solar hot water system) or operate an existing PV system (solar power system) that is connected to the Queensland electricity grid
- generate surplus electricity that is fed into the Queensland electricity grid
- have an agreement in place with their electricity distributor (Ergon Energy, ENERGEX or Country Energy) and have appropriate metering installed
- have solar PV systems with a capacity of up to 10kVA for single phase power and 30kVA for three-phase power
- hold an electricity account with an electricity retailer.
How Do I Recieve the Bonus?
The Solar Bonus of 44c/kWh will be paid for electricity fed into the grid at times when the solar system generates more electricity than the household or business is using at any instant.
When the meter reader visits a customer’s home or business at the end of the quarter, the total amount of surplus electricity exported to the grid and the total amount imported from the grid will be read and passed onto the retailer to calculate the bill.
The customer’s quarterly Solar Bonus payment for this excess electricity exported to the grid will be deducted from their total grid-connected electricity consumption charge on their electricity bill.
If the Solar Bonus payments are greater than the total grid-connected electricity consumption charges over a 12-month period, the customer is entitled to have this balance refunded, rather than maintaining an ongoing credit.
Victoria
September 01, 2011
The Victorian Government announced the Premium FiT would be closed to new applications from the end of September 2011. The Government is establishing a new transitional scheme that pays 25c per kilowatt hour for surplus electricity. The new program will commence January 1, 2012 and will available for 5 years.
History
Victorian households with solar power systems have been paid a feed in tariff from November 2009. Legislation for the Victorian feed in tariff was introduced on March 10, 2009; then revised and passed on June 25, 2009.
Under the program, Victorian households, community organisations and small businesses who consume less than 100 megawatt hours of electricity a year will be credited a minimum 60 cents for every unused kilowatt hour of power fed back into the state electricity grid. Some electricity retailers may offer a higher amount.
| Company | FiT Offer inc. GST | Who Can Apply | Method of Payment and Frequency | Additional Ffees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AGL | 68c | All Premises | Payment can be received annually via EFT | $10 admin fee |
| Origin | 66c | Primary residence and eligible business and community organisations | Once annually when in credit for more than $50 via cheque | None |
| Country Energy | 66c | All Premises | Payment can be made every billing period via cheque | None |
| Energy Australia | 66c | All Premises | Payment can be made every billing period via cheque | None |
| TRU Energy | 66c | primary Residents and eligible business and community organisations | Case by case basis (generally when over $100 credit) by cheque | None |
| Red Energy | 66c | Primary residence and eligible business and community organisations | One free refund per year by EFT or cheque | $10 admin fee after annual refund |
South Australia
June 23, 2011
changes were made to the program that would see new connections made under the scheme from October 2011 receive 16c per kilowatt hour, plus an electricity retailer contribution of 6c per kilowatt hour.
July 01, 2008
Qualifying South Australian residents began receiving $0.44 per kilowatt-hour.
Northern Territory
For new connections, the Northern Territory feed in tariff is 1-for-1 – whatever the customer’s consumption tariff is:
- residential customers: 19.23 c/kWh
- commercial: 22.37 c/kWh
- commercial time-of-use customers: peak 28.63 c/kWh and off-peak 16.12 c/kWh
Tasmania
The current feed in tariff rate for Tasmania solar power production is $0.20 per kilowatt-hour; but there have been moves to introduce a gross feed in tariff in the state soon. Sign up for our newsletter via the subscription box on the right hand menu of this page (towards the bottom of the news box) and we’ll keep you up to date with developments in the Tasmania solar power feed in tariff situation. Learn more about Eclipse Solar Services.
New South Wales
Key Features
Customers within NSW with an annual electricity consumption of up to 160 megawatt hours (MWh) are eligible to participate in the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme.Key features of NSW Solar Bonus Scheme include:
- It commenced on 1 January 2010 and will operate for 7 years.
- It credits eligible customers with a ‘gross’ feed-in tariff rate of 60 cents per kilowatt hour for all the electricity that their eligible solar photovoltaic (PV) system or wind turbine generates
- Small electricity customers (those with an annual electricity consumption of up to 160 megawatt hours) are eligible to participate in the Scheme.
- Only customers with solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and wind turbines (up to 10 kilowatts in capacity) that connect to the electricity network through an inverter (up to 10 kilowatts in capacity) are eligible to participate in the Scheme.
- Solar PV systems installed and connected after 1 January 2010 must be installed by a person, who at the time of the installation had a Grid-connect Design & Install accreditation from the Clean Energy Council to be eligible for the Solar Bonus Scheme.
- Each eligible small electricity customer is entitled to receive the Solar Bonus Scheme credit for one eligible renewable energy generator (solar photovoltaic system or wind turbine) only.
- The tariff rate of 60 cents per kilowatt hour will be fixed for the life of the Scheme, meaning it will not vary with the time of the day or during the life of the Scheme.
- The Scheme will be reviewed in 2012 by the Minister for Energy, or when the installed capacity of renewable energy generators participating in the Scheme reaches 50 megawatts, whichever occurs first.
History
The New South Wales Government originally announced details of the state’s feed in tariff incentive (called the Solar Bonus Scheme) on June 23, 2009, but on November 9 2009, made a decision to switch from a net feed in tariff to the gross model; a much more generous arrangement. The program was rolled out offering payments of 60 c/KWh on a gross basis (for new connections made up until October 27, 2010)
Rates for the hugely popular feed in tariff program were reduced to 20c/kWh for new connections after midnight, October 27, 2010. Read more here
Western Australia
August 1, 2011
Western Australia’s feed in tariff installation quota has been reached and the program suspended for new connections. However, Synergy and Horizon Power will continue buying excess electricity fed into the grid from all residential solar power systems systems under the State Government’s Renewable Energy Buyback Scheme
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The Eclipse Team
We would like to wish you a happy new year and hope you had a fun time over the Xmas break, and managed to get some time off with friends and/or family.
