End of Solar Feed-in Rebate in Victoria

The end of solar feed-in rebates for new installations in Victoria is being introduced.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/power-failure-ho…
Most likely put off a lot of people considering the outlay
Will other states follow?

Comments

  • 👍

  • +1

    A 5% return on a depreciating asset isn't bad but not good either.

    https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/power-failure-ho…

    said Mr Pilsbury, who after rebates spent $8200 installing the system.
    saving his family about $8 a week.

    • +1

      That will pay itself off in 19 years, by which time the system will have easily reached end of life.

      With power prices likely dropping following the surge in renewables, it might take even longer.

    • +2

      I'm just wondering what sort of system he installed. I spent about $8k on solar last year and it's saving us about $2k per year, which is a lot more than this system.

      • Yeah there is something seriously wrong if an $8k system only saves $8 a week. I paid approx $8.5k in Sydney in mid-2018 and have saved about $3.5k in that time. I went for high spec panels/inverter so I knew my payback period would be longer but it's still looking at ~7/8 years which is what I expected upfront.

        I see so many examples of inefficient solar installs just from passing by. Panels installed under overhanging trees or just to the south of large trees. Panels predominantly facing east etc. It really annoys me that the government subsidises the installation of setups like this that will return so little to the owner and the grid/economy overall.

        • True, I did see one local place where they have maybe 8 panels, all on the south roof…

          Our next door neighbours are a rental and the owner planted a tree that has grown above their north roof and now blocks the solar panels most of the day, at least they have a few on the west as well.

        • I’m thinking of getting solar panels installed. I guess I never thought the feed in tariffs were very good anyway (I was misinformed until now), and was expecting to just try to offset the costs of grid power during the day. I.e. By running equipment during the day where possible.

          Wonder what the payback on a PV + battery system is.

        • bitcoin mining lol

    • he just cried pour with his extravagant spending, with 26 panels averaging aroun 380w each, his system is about 10kw so that $1 per day savings meaning he only self-consume around 4-5kwh a day, being a plumber he probably has more money and cheaper ways to make better use of his system on that massive mansion.

  • -1

    So property is at record highs and somebody who finally affords to get their own home can no longer benefit from installing solar power. Heavily indebted with huge repayments and no passive income possibility from renewable energy production.

    Meanwhile those lucky enough to buy a home cheap and get a subsidised solar installation are laughing and making disproportionate bank.

    Victoria is an extremely inequitable state. Maybe the only reasonable way forward is political change.

    • That's right. I cannot say that I am surprised but early birds are proven to be winners in this case. It was always a matter of time. They also starting to tax EV drivers too but not bicycle riders who also now get their own dedicated lanes on streets (reducing lanes for cars who pay Rego) for free.

      Even those who recently installed solar panels but got subsidy, won't get their unsubsidized part of the cost returned (RoI) for much longer now.

      • +6

        Lets not forget that every 1 bike rider is 1 less driver.
        1 less driver causing congestion on the street.
        1 less driver stopping you from going through that set of traffic lights.
        1 less driver requiring a parking space, freeing up more for you
        1 less person that will be overweight or at risk of heart disease, relying on the state's health system.

        As for the EV tax, unfortunately the government funds the roads from fuel taxes, so it's their way of covering their backs when the swing towards EV's happens.
        Do i agree with it though? god no.

        If you're looking to penalise someone for making traffic flow faster then introducing a bicycle rego system is how you'd go about it.
        Inner city cycle lanes are a much more efficient transfer of people than relatively inefficient cars.
        Ideally, everyone would be on mopeds for private transport as it's by far the most efficient (public transport is still far better, but then you'd end up like vietnam/thailand with insanely loud streets.

        • -1

          for me about EV is I wish the government should've slapped some extra taxes on them to get them shut their mouth up, especially those with obnoxious custom plate. Telsa just go above and beyond apple to create the next worst generation of brand fanboi.

    • can no longer benefit from installing solar power.

      ??? If you're using solar power, then you're buying less energy from the provider, reducing your bills.

  • PV installation has been a ~12-year bubble with Alpha investors reaping the highest gains at the cost of other taxpayers and/or low-income people. The music was always bound to stop with the overwhelming supply of enegry.

    • The 60c per kwh rebate legacy applicants are the biggest winners.

      I am actually happy for them. They had the foresight of what the future holds back then. Wish I had that knowhow.

      • +2

        Their only problem is at the time a the 60c feed-in a 5 kWh system cost around $14,000. Now, after rebate is is only around $2,000

        • Oh wow. Didn't realize this. I had mine midway and by my calculation, this year or next year (at 10c) would be breakeven vs cost.

        • If those numbers are correct then it makes sense to reduce the FIT or remove it altogether.

          • @whooah1979: But for new entrant, they are screwed. Having said that, I thought the subsidy was funded through SRET and LRET tax anyway so if they are removing FIT, then makes sense to remove it but I would rather not.

  • Short sighted is it, we have too power and we need to spend millions fixing the grid boo hoo. SA has similar issue, SA power networks flagging it may shut of solar supply to grids at select times.
    How is Australia going to transition to electric cars without surplus electricity

    • +1

      Nobody is stopping people from investing in PV.

    • This might further encourage electric car take up, if I knew I couldn’t get a feed in tariff I’d be wanting to use my surplus power somehow rather than see it wasted, either in home battery storage or electric car charging would be a no brainer for me.

  • With the closing of another Victorian coal powered, this is going to fall right into the hands of massive $ increases for those stuck using coal powered supplies over those lucky enough to have gone full Solar/batteries.

  • +3

    A lot of people will now get batteries, without the feed in tariff solar is hardly worth it.

  • +1

    And if you're in Vic, your feed in tariff is also being reduced from about 10c to 6.7c come 1 Jul.

    https://www.esc.vic.gov.au/electricity-and-gas/prices-tariff…

  • This article is nothing new, household in Powercor zone around Point Cook/Werribee has been slapped with zero export for ages, even before the government rebates kicked in. Victoria's going the same way with WA regarding solar, the only difference is installation cost in WA has come down reasonably together with higher STC meaning their ROI figure are still in line with the rest of the country, in Victoria however installers still rip customers off with massive margin so those joining the game late from now on will take twice as long to recover their investment.

  • This could affect other customers those without solar.

  • +1

    Home owners need to install the right size system for their needs, not to rely on feed in tariffs. It’s a bit of a fort that they buy from homeowners at 6-12c and sell back to everyone else at 40c though.

    Energy suppliers need to develop systems that will store excess energy from home solar for use at a later time. This probably means developing smart grids and finding ways to use excess energy on things like water heating and charging batteries (in cars etc). Changing off peak hot water to turn on during peak sunshine would be a reasonable start rather than all turning on at night.

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