In a surprise move, the NSW government announced it will implement a Gross Feed in Tariff for small PV and Wind systems, effective from January 2010. Details about the Feed in Tariff, which it has called the Solar Bonus Scheme, can be found on the State Government's website.

The Australian Financial Review has published a story on the Renewable Energy Target and the damaging effect the oversupply of Solar Hot Water RECs and the phantom supply of Solar Credits RECs is having on the Wind industry and other renewable energies.

For subscribers of the AFR, the article "Green Energy Backfire" can be downloaded here.

Some Excerpts:

"The Head of Victorian-based Keppel Prince Engineering, will today address staff... he may be forced to cut 150 jobs"

June 9,2009 - CANBERRA
The Minister for the Environment, Peter Garrett MP, today announced the cancellation of the Solar Homes and Communities Programme rebate support for residential solar installations.
Read about proposed replacement schemes HERE
Read our response to solar credits.

Applications received with today's postmark or earlier will continue to be processed, with approval at the government's discretion. Applications received after this date will be returned.

NOTE: This replacement scheme is not yet written into legislation, and information contained in this document is for guidance only regarding the nature of proposed support. As the new scheme stands, we believe it is fraudulent, and will not be conducting routine residential installations under this scheme

From www.malcolmtalbot.wordpress.com
With excerts from the www.news.com.au article ‘Electricity bills to soar 20 per cent’

Information for Residents of the ACT

Sydney Energy Cooperative is currently installing over 150 grid connect solar systems in the Newcastle area for members of Climate Action Newcastle. Installations are underway and on track for completion in March or April. The good news for the other hundred-thousand-odd households in the area is that we've reopened applications and are happy to introduce Round 3. All information is available on our website here.

The Forum is now online and alive on the Cooperative website. Special sections have been created for participants in Cooperative community projects with the aim to provide relevant information for those people and to bring environmentally-minded people in the same area closer together.

Topics include energy efficiency, solar photovoltaics and anything else that arises.

You can view the forum topics at www.energycoop.com.au/content/forum.

CASTLEMAINE - Sydney Energy Cooperative Limited has completed installations for the community solar installation project in Castlemaine, North-Central Victoria. The project was instigated and led by climate action organisation, Mount Alexander Sustainability Group (MASG).

The project installed seventy-two grid connected PV systems in the small town of Castlemaine and surrounds.

Please enter your details in the fields below. It will help you to have an electricity bill handy.

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The Federal Government's latest budget has announced that the PVRP Photovoltaic Rebate Program will now be means tested. Rebates are no longer available where household taxable income exceeds $100k per annum.