Thursday, 10 November 2016
A WORKSHOP to explain changes to the State Government’s solar bonus scheme will be held at Moree on Monday, 12 December following a request from Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall to extend the information sessions to the north west of the state.
Mr Marshall asked the department responsible to schedule another workshop to give more northerners the chance to find out just how the closure of the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme at the end of the year would affect them – and the options they have to continue to get the best results with their renewable energy plans.
Uralla hosted one of the workshops this month but now Moree district residents will have the opportunity to find out just what the end of the scheme means for them – and what they can do after that.
Mr Marshall said the workshop would allow locals to hear expert independent energy advice about how the changes to the feed-in tariff will affect them and the steps they need to take in the wake of the bonus scheme closure.
The workshop will provide QandA sessions on making the transition to un-subsidised feed-in tariffs as smooth as possible for customers.
The bonus scheme provided for solar users to receive up to 60 cents per kilowatt feed-in tariff for their solar energy but will end as planned on December 31.
Mr Marshall said the Moree event would cover a range of clean energy opportunities for households and businesses, including the understanding of different metering arrangements and benefits, emerging technologies to consider, including battery storage and electricity monitoring devices, how to maintain your systems to maximise benefits and the ways consumers could become more energy efficient to minimise their power bills.
“The Solar Bonus Scheme has been successful in achieving its aim to encourage the uptake of renewable energy in NSW. Over 146,000 households and small businesses have installed small-scale renewable energy generators under the Scheme,” Mr Marshall said.
“Since the Scheme closed to new applicants, a further 174,000 households and small businesses have installed systems without a subsidised feed-in tariff.”
The Moree Opportunity Workshop is on Monday 12 December from 5.30pm and in the banquet hall of Moree Plains Shire Council.
Mr Marshall said bonus scheme customers confused about their metering arrangements and those who wanted to get more information about increasing their energy efficiency options were invited to attend.
And he encouraged bonus scheme customers to also ask their electricity retailers what options they had under post-scheme renewable energy systems.
“Now is a good time for you to investigate your metering and other product options to make sure you get the most out of your renewable energy system when the Scheme ends, and to look around to see what competing retailers have to offer,” he said.
“Depending on the offer you choose, you may need to change meters before the Scheme closes and this additional workshop at Moree can provide customers with more detail on how they go about that too.”