Expanded solar scheme a boon for electricians: ETU

Energy Minister Chis Bowen’s recent announcement that the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme is expanding to cover installations of up to 1 MW (from 100 kW) has been welcomed by the Electrical Trades Union (ETU).

The change will reduce the cost of solar installations by about 20% for eligible participants, lowering upfront costs for organisations with medium-sized buildings that want to generate their own renewable energy.

Under the expanded scheme, support will be available for solar systems large enough to power commercial operations like restaurants, manufacturers or light industrial energy users. This opens up energy independence to a significant economic group: the ‘missing middle’ between households and heavy industry.

A solar set-up at the larger end of the revised cap could produce cost savings to an energy user of more than $150,000 per year.

“Licensed electricians who are wiring Australia into the future economy welcome this announcement,” said ETU National Secretary Michael Wright.

“You know who doesn’t care whether the strait of Hormuz is open? The sun. It shows up on time every morning no matter what is going on in the world,” he said.

“The shortest, most secure supply chain that a fuel source can have is from the roof of a building to the light switch inside.

“Households around Australia have already recognised this in world-leading numbers, and taken advantage of policy settings that make it easier to generate secure, reliable power on their own roof,” Wright said.

Now, he added, farms, businesses, schools and community organisations would be able to join them.

Wright said this would mean more work for union electricians across the country, placing licensed electricians at the heart of Australia’s economy.

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