Master Electricians comments on changes to Qld solar scheme

Master Electricians Australia has cautiously welcomed aspects of the changes to Queensland’s Solar Bonus Scheme but said a phase-out period would have benefited the solar industry.

Master Electricians spokesperson Wayne Crookes said the organisation thought the original feed-in tariffs were overly generous. “These feed-in tariffs were driving up the cost of electricity for all other consumers,” Crookes said.

“In effect, they meant that homeowners who could not afford solar panels were subsidising the cost for those who could.”

Crookes claimed the feed-in tariffs discriminated against people who use electricity during the day, such as retirees and stay-at-home carers. Master Electricians welcomes the move to a “fairer and more sustainable” feed-in tariff, Crookes said.

However, Crookes said the sudden change could seriously impact businesses that specialise in domestic solar panels and the government should have given businesses more time to prepare for the changes to the Solar Bonus Scheme.

“This change to the feed-in tariff will significantly impact on the business model of many solar installers,” Crookes said. “As a result of the sudden and unexpected change to the tariff level for new customers, we expect demand for solar systems to fall significantly - at least in the short term.

“While we support the reduction in the long term, perhaps a phase-out period would have caused less pain to small business owners in the solar industry,” Crookes concluded.