Media
Can Oakeshott free us from being captives of coal?
Thursday 3 February 2011
“While many Queenslanders are still suffering one thing is clear, extreme weather patterns are part of the climate change pattern” said Ged McCarthy Chairman of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).
“Doesn’t it seem a horrible contradiction for Prime Minister Gillard to help fund the Queensland flood levy with $500 million earmarked for renewable energy, aren’t we trying to reverse climate change?” asked Mr McCarthy.
Mr McCarthy will today meet with key independent and member of the Gillard multi-party on climate change, Rob Oakeshott, seeking his support as a “solar champion”.
“We hear report after report about sky-rocketing energy prices, some reports even blame the renewable energy sector, what is rarely reported is the billions of taxpayers money spent on subsidies to the coal industry, 15 times the subsidies are dished out to coal fired power than the renewable sector.” said Mr McCarthy
“Coal fired power is not only costing us the earth, now it is invading a families lifestyle, it is not a sustainable energy source, regardless of how reliant governments have made us upon it” said Mr McCarthy
Soon after becoming Climate Change Minister, Greg Combet remarked about coal subsidies by saying
“You don't take the back of the axe to the fundamentals of the Australian economy."
We know Independent Rob Oakeshott cares about climate change and is
willing to ask the hard questions. The Solar Energy Industries
Association is hoping Mr Oakeshott will become a solar champion and help
Australian families reduce their energy costs while taking real steps
to reduce carbon emissions and halt climate change.” said Mr McCarthy.
Contact: Ged McCarthy 0448 393 071 0408 21 02 73 (Justine Caines)
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Gillard’s Climate Change Committee 2011, “Nowhere to hide” But is she keeping us in the dark?
Tuesday 30 November 2010
Yesterday Julia Gillard said “I promise you no responsible decision-maker will be able to say next year that they need more time or more information on climate change. In 2011 there will be nowhere to hide.”
Chairman of the Solar Energy Industries Association, Ged McCarthy wonders if the Prime Minister is being kept in the dark on climate change.
“This is not a Climate Change Committee it is a front for a price on carbon. I fear the committee has been established to rubber stamp -a Carbon Price.” said Mr McCarthy
“A price on carbon doesn't achieve anything for Climate Change - the big polluters can afford it, and will always pass the price on to their consumers. A Carbon Price will just drive up prices of electricity, fuel, food etc and hurt Julia's Aussie battlers.” said Mr McCarthy
“At the same time Tony Abbott is fighting tooth and nail against a Carbon Price but the Prime Minister is right, he doesn't come out with a viable alternative, Tony is simply ‘playing politics’” said Mr McCarthy
“Surely a practical blueprint to establish long term policy on renewable energy, in particular solar power is essential” said Mr McCarthy.
“The Non- Government organisation group is heavily laden with unions and social service groups but where are the groups with the practical expertise in the renewable energy sector?” asked Mr McCarthy
Julia Gillard also said yesterday
“I think we need our business community to channel some of that spirit into Australia and to talk about the prospects for jobs and
our future of this low-pollution economy.”
“If that’s the case then the PM must include renewable industry representatives on the ground now, and commit to a national feed in tariff for renewable energy. No one in the solar industry can plan from one year to the next, with populist policy and regular back-flips. Now we need vision and clear policy.” said Mr McCarthy.
The Future of Solar looks bright with Key Independents
Monday 22 November 2010
On Friday, Chairman of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), Mr Ged McCarthy met with key independent and member for New England, Tony Windsor. They discussed the renewable energy industry and in particular solar power.
“It was great that just after getting back from a busy sitting period in Canberra, Tony met with us at short notice. This is a good sign that he is supportive of renewable energy, in particular solar power.” said Mr McCarthy.
One of our key concerns is the feed-in tariff. NSW has just reduced its tariff from 60 cents/kilowatt hour to 20 cents. In comparison the ACT offers 45 cents. Anyone installing solar in NSW in the future will actually be penalised. Kristina Keneally’s decision actively benefits dirty coal-fired power.” said Mr McCarthy
“We discussed the importance of a national gross feed-in tariff and the need for some clear long term policy for the solar industry. No-one can operate with boom and bust cycles and knee jerk policy decisions.” said Mr McCarthy
Rob Oakeshott is also very important and SEIA has requested a meeting with him.
“Rob must be a visionary because he actually introduced a bill into the Parliament to standardise feed in tariffs across Australia in 2009, sadly it was not passed.” said Mr McCarthy
“Times have indeed changed and with both Mr Windsor and Oakeshott members of the newly formed multi-party Climate Change Committee (chaired by Julia Gillard) I believe we are about to see some real action.” said Mr McCarthy
The future of solar looks very bright indeed not only does our local member understand the importance of renewable energy, Wauchope resident Ged McCarthy is also the Chairman of the national body in the unique position of representing all solar industry players; from installers and manufacturers to importers researchers and inventors.
“I look forward to providing Mr Oakeshott with expert advice gathered from 15 years in the industry. From Bankstown to Birdsville, solar power is the answer to a clean energy future for Australia ” said Mr McCarthy
Carbon: The More you emit, the Greater the Subsidy: Can Windsor and Oakeshott save solar from being a policy basket case?
Recently the Gillard Government warned it might remove solar energy subsidies and review the value of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECS).
In New South Wales Premier Kristina Keneally reduced the gross feed-in tariff from 60 to 20 cents per kilowatt. Anyone installing solar in the future in NSW will receive less for their clean contribution to the grid than they pay for coal-fired electricity.
In the age of climate change, emissions trading and carbon prices, why is Australia’s solar industry being so poorly treated?
Despite Australia being drenched in sunlight (around 300 days a year) we lag behind Germany, Japan, Spain, France, and Greece, among others. Despite its miserable summers Germany has embraced solar technology. Visitors can travel down the Rhine River in solar powered boats even in the rain: but where are the solar boats in sunny Sydney?
Commentators have denounced rebate schemes as “middle class welfare”. Interestingly the take up of solar power in NSW has been largely in Western Sydney and regional areas. The demographics of those using solar power are more working family than merchant banker. Regardless, poor policy at a state and federal level is compromising our most promising renewable industry.
The NSW 60 cent tariff has been overly generous and the industry warned policy makers of this. The Solar Energy Industries Association is calling for a 45 cent gross feed-in tariff with annual reviews (similar to the ACT scheme). Premier Keneally refuses to meet with the association and so far there is no policy from Barry O’Farrell, the NSW Opposition leader, although at least the Liberals are open to dialogue.
Governments do not have a good record of consulting with the renewable energy sector. Hasty policy has swung the industry in cycles that go from boom to bust. Many argue that there should be no subsidies for the solar industry. Fair enough, there’s nothing wrong with that, but let’s examine the real cost of solar power and compare it with that of coal-fired power.
In NSW during the last nine years coal and coal-fired power together have received an annual subsidy of $1 billion. The subsidy for the renewable energy sector for the same time frame is a paltry $67 million a year. Coal-fired power receives 15 times the amount of subsidy compared with the renewable energy industry.
Meanwhile, NSW’s state-owned power companies, Energy Australia, Integral and Country Energy, have CEOs who are earning obscene amounts - $666,000 to $774,000 a year.
The spin regarding the feed-in tariff reduction in NSW was that the solar uptake was increasing electricity prices. The reality is infrastructure upgrades ignored by NSW Labor are the major driver of price increases. How can a $17.9 billion infrastructure upgrade for coal-fired energy be justified when there is a federal government target for Australia to be using 20 per cent renewable energy by 2020?
Germany has proven that major public take-up of renewable energy lessens grid demand and therefore the need for infrastructure upgrades.
Some are quick to judge if the investment in solar is “worth it”. Coal-fired power is treated as a given, yet the costs on many fronts mount up. Additional to infrastructure upgrades, NSW is currently in the process of negotiating low coal prices for electricity production, meaning that NSW residents will be shackled with billions of dollars in dirty coal subsidies tied up in long-term contracts.
NSW’s coal subsidies threaten to unravel the ability of the federal government to put a price on carbon. The rationale of making green energy more attractive through a carbon price will not be achieved with a $25 a tonne subsidy (the carbon price has been estimated at $25-$40 a tonne).
The new multi party Climate Change Committee chaired by Julia Gillard has both Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor as members. Interestingly the Coalition chose not send a representative. Rob Oakeshott’s commitment to the renewable sector was evident in the last parliament when he mirrored the Green’s Senate legislation to introduce a national renewable energy feed-in tariff.
The federal government has a 20 per cent renewable energy target by 2020. The only way this can be achieved is through major investment and with clear policy objectives, rather than ad hoc schemes. A national feed-in tariff is essential, as is some certainty for the solar energy sector do they can remain in business.
The solar industry is looking to these key independent MPs to remove renewable energy policy from its present basket-case status to the forefront where it must be.
Keneally turns out the Christmas Lights
11 November 2010
Last week Kristina Keneally certainly extinguished the ‘light on the hill’ for up to 2000 workers in the solar industry and for the many thousands of residents yet to connect solar panels. The Premier reduced the ‘feed-in tariff’ paid for solar power entering the grid from 60 cents to 20 cents” said Ged McCarthy Chairman of SEIA.
“SEIA accepts the 60 cent tariff was generous and believes a 45 cent gross feed-in tariff like the ACT (with 12 month review process), is a sensible option for all parties,” said Mr McCarthy.
“The scheme was very popular, so popular more than 50,000 households have had solar panels installed since the scheme began in January 2010. The people of NSW are clearly voting with their feet for clean energy from the sun,” said Mr McCarthy.
“Premier Keneally has refused to meet with SEIA. SEIA has met with a number of shadow ministers this week and essentially the future of NSW’s solar industry rests with Barry O’Farrell. We hope he responds like the working families of western Sydney have to date with great enthusiasm for clean solar energy,” said Mr McCarthy.
SEIA has been inundated with messages from their members, most paint a very gloomy picture.
Phillip Leslie is a solar installer in Campbelltown, he says,
“We have enough work until Christmas 2010 but beyond that without any positive change to the FIT (fed in tariff) we would have to reduce our workforce by at least five men.”
Another Sydney company told SEIA.
“Today I have let go two full time employees as the reduction in feed in tariff means we will have less enquires, we have recently advertised for more staff on our highly educated team of installers which will now be cancelled.”
Steve Doyle has a business on the Mid North Coast
“I have a salesperson, 3 x newly signed 1st year apprentices and recently employed tradesmen all of whom will certainly lose their jobs if the tariff is less than the going rate for energy. Some longer term employees positions will also be seriously under threat in the New Year if changes are not made.”
And this from the Far North Coast of NSW.
“Now I would just like to say that we have a month left, if the phones don’t start ringing soon we will need to close our doors next month. And since Christmas is on the way and in this industry December is not a great month for business I don’t think we will be here much longer. Merry Christmas.”
Contact: Ged McCarthy 0448 393 071 0408 21 02 73 (Justine Caines)
11/11/2010
KENEALLY SOLAR BACKFLIP CHOKES NSW CLEAN DREAM
28/10/2010
In a swift and sudden backroom move today Kristina Keneally’s dying government has forced the NSW solar industry back into the dark ages, making the NSW feed-in tariff the lowest in Australia (actually less than the rate paid for coal generated electricity).
This surprise closure of the current rebate programme (which was heralded as a landmark commitment to renewable energy and a cleaner, greener future for NSW under Premier Rees) will create mass unemployment just as Rudd’s cancellation of the insulation scheme did. The NSW Government, in an incredible back flip, just 10 months after the introduction of the scheme are now demonstrating a clear commitment to fossil fuel companies who are obviously piling on the pressure.
President of SEIA (Solar Energy Industries Association Inc.) and Chairman of the NSW Chapter, Ged McCarthy says:
“There is no doubt that the solar industry as a whole needs some review as the new feed-in tariffs have opened up the market and all sorts of untrained and inexperienced sole traders and companies are installing inferior systems in order to cash in on the scheme. However, SEIA has been working closely with State & Federal Governments Departments on safety and licensing regulations, and SEIA and AuSES (Australian Solar Energy Society Inc) are currently working hand in hand to create and administer a Best Practise Installation Program.
“Whatever the issues may be, there is no excuse for cancelling the current scheme without industry consultation, with no notice, thereby creating an immediate crisis in the NSW solar industry. Thousands of people will lose their jobs overnight, which is an extraordinary about-face for someone recently espousing the importance of worker’s rights.”
“Australia could and should lead the world in solar technology, uptake, installations and usage (we have more hours of sunlight per day than anywhere else on earth) but lags far behind Germany, the Netherlands, the USA, Spain, France, Italy and Greece. All of whom have made real commitments to cutting carbon emissions with strong feed-in tariff programmes encouraging solar uptake and meeting renewable energy targets.”
We can’t go backwards on this. It has taken us too long to come up to par with the rest of the world, to back out now is not just fatal for the industry but for the future of renewables.”
“When the Australian electorate has clearly voted for a greener future, and with Ms Keneally looking down the barrel of a landslide loss in March, it is inconceivable that she should act so decisively to destroy the NSW solar industry and the very real hopes of residents of NSW for a future free of coal generated power bills.”
Ged McCarthy is a licensed builder, electrician and has been a solar installer for almost 15 years. He is widely respected in the Australian industry and is the elected Chairman of SEIA www.seia.org.au
Contact: Ged Mc Carthy 0448 393 071 02 6587 4383 (Sophie Love)