❓ Mr. Norberger asks about the Liberal-National government's efforts to improve solar accessibility in WA. The Minister details the growth of solar installations, policy changes to reduce red tape, and consumer protection measures.
AnsweredQoN 514Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
RENEWABLE ENERGY — SOLAR POWER CELLS
514. Mr J. NORBERGER to the Minister for
Energy:
I refer to today's
announcement regarding renewable energy. Can the minister please update the
house on how the Liberal–National government is making solar more
accessible to Western Australians?
514. Mr J. NORBERGER to the Minister for
Energy:
I refer to today's
announcement regarding renewable energy. Can the minister please update the
house on how the Liberal–National government is making solar more
accessible to Western Australians?
AnswerView source ↗
I want to thank the member for that
question; it is a really important one. We have had a solar revolution in this
state over the last eight years under us. When we came in, the estimate was of
about 440 solar facilities on rooftops. There are now over 180 000, promoted by
various policies we have adopted and, of course, the lowering of the price of
solar cells and people wanting to be independent for energy. We have
facilitated and it is growing very rapidly, both large-scale and,
interestingly, for small businesses around Western Australia. I opened one in
Byford where a very large facility was put on a flour mill—Millers
flour mill—which is saving $35 000 a year and providing great
flexibility in the operation of the facility. I opened another one in Northam,
with the member for Central Wheatbelt, where quite a large facility with solar
cells is being put across a parking lot at a shopping centre there. It is
growing very rapidly. Another area of great demand is solar cell providers
building a facility on top of a building, whether it is commercial or
otherwise, and selling the electrons to the user of the building. That was very
popular and people wanted it, but there was a lot of red tape inhibiting that.
We found that if the provider was to build the solar cell facility and sell the
electrons to the consumer, they had to get a retail licence, which costs all up
between $15 000 to $20 000 a year almost per project. What we have done is
eliminate the need to have retail licences. That reduces completely the cost of
putting in the large-scale facility and the buybacks. We have also addressed
the issue of consumer safety and information. We have a product disclosure
statement available from the Public Utilities Office for people to acquire. We
have eliminated the cost of these installations. We facilitate them, but we
have addressed the issues of consumer information, safety and security. We
expect there to be a very rapid take-up of this and also for it to be the next
wave of growth of solar on the rooftops of our community. This is what good
governments do. They identify priorities like solar and they eliminate red tape
for the consumers and providers to get on with putting them on rooftops.
question; it is a really important one. We have had a solar revolution in this
state over the last eight years under us. When we came in, the estimate was of
about 440 solar facilities on rooftops. There are now over 180 000, promoted by
various policies we have adopted and, of course, the lowering of the price of
solar cells and people wanting to be independent for energy. We have
facilitated and it is growing very rapidly, both large-scale and,
interestingly, for small businesses around Western Australia. I opened one in
Byford where a very large facility was put on a flour mill—Millers
flour mill—which is saving $35 000 a year and providing great
flexibility in the operation of the facility. I opened another one in Northam,
with the member for Central Wheatbelt, where quite a large facility with solar
cells is being put across a parking lot at a shopping centre there. It is
growing very rapidly. Another area of great demand is solar cell providers
building a facility on top of a building, whether it is commercial or
otherwise, and selling the electrons to the user of the building. That was very
popular and people wanted it, but there was a lot of red tape inhibiting that.
We found that if the provider was to build the solar cell facility and sell the
electrons to the consumer, they had to get a retail licence, which costs all up
between $15 000 to $20 000 a year almost per project. What we have done is
eliminate the need to have retail licences. That reduces completely the cost of
putting in the large-scale facility and the buybacks. We have also addressed
the issue of consumer safety and information. We have a product disclosure
statement available from the Public Utilities Office for people to acquire. We
have eliminated the cost of these installations. We facilitate them, but we
have addressed the issues of consumer information, safety and security. We
expect there to be a very rapid take-up of this and also for it to be the next
wave of growth of solar on the rooftops of our community. This is what good
governments do. They identify priorities like solar and they eliminate red tape
for the consumers and providers to get on with putting them on rooftops.
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