MEDIA RELEASE
10 November 2009
Sun shines on NSW today, but outlook still cloudy for the renewable
industry
NATIONAL: The NSW Government has taken an important step forward with its new scheme to
encourage more households to install clean solar energy on their rooftops. But the job is not done,
with all Australian governments needing to focus on driving industrial-scale renewable energy
projects when they meet in December.
“The Clean Energy Council (CEC) welcomes the Rees Government’s leadership on climate change
by stepping up its commitment to the use of solar panels in the state,” said Clean Energy Council
chief executive Matthew Warren.
“The gross solar feed in tarriff announced by NSW will reward investors in solar technology with a
premium rate for all the electricity they generate. These kinds of schemes have helped to make
countries like Germany world leaders in the solar industry – even when they don’t have anywhere
near the intensity of sunlight that Australia does.
“South Australia and Western Australia are currently reviewing their solar schemes and we
encourage both of these governments to consider the NSW approach during this process.
“The CEC welcomed the expansion of the Federal Government's renewable energy target in August.
Despite this, new large-scale clean energy projects have not been able to get off the ground because
of a sustained weak price for renewable energy certificates.
“The solar industry in most other states, the Federal Government’s Solar Flagships Program, as well
as wind, bioenergy and hydro projects, all face a bleak 2010 if this problem remains,” Mr Warren
said.
“The renewable energy target was a good start, but most of the industry is at a standstill because of
a weak market for renewable energy certificates (RECs), the unintended result of a range of
government programs.”
Mr Warren said large-scale clean energy developers depended on the REC market to make their
projects viable.
“Expanding the RET has created a new market that needs some fine tuning. This is crucial if it is to
do its job of developing a world class clean energy industry in Australia that will help smooth the
transition to a decarbonised energy industry.
“The Rees government is to be congratulated today. It has taken a significant step forward in getting
clean solar energy into its households. Now lets keep it going.”
For media enquiries please call Mark Bretherton +61 413 556 981
The Clean Energy Council, the peak body for the clean energy sector, is working with all Australian governments to ensure a
secure and diversified energy sector; a reduction in energy waste including the take up of solar water heating and insulation and
more clean energy sources in our stationary energy mix from solar, wind, geothermal, hydro, wave and bioenergy.
Suite 201, 18 Kavanagh Street, Southbank 3006, Australia
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info@cleanenergycouncil.org.au
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+61 3 9929 4100
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