WA Labor has backtracked (partially) on their election promise of a $5k battery rebate if reelected.
Very disappointing, but as expected with Labor I guess. Overall still a good rebate, but anyone reconsidering installing after the major reduction?
If a voter votes in 2 independent elections for 2 seperate policies, why should they not expect both to be realised? The federal and state rebates were not contingent on each other.
Did the state government specifically promise WA would be paying out the rebate? If not, they haven't broken any promise. You're still getting your $5k, which is better than most states. What you want is to double-dip.
They promised this during the WA State election (8 March), and they were elected (at least partially) based on those promises - all before the Federal government had any rebate offer (announced on 6 April).
This is a completely broken promise - just with a bit of weasel room they can use. Weasels!
5k rebate was for batteries. 3.7k rebate was for 10kw solar system
What do you expect from a state gov that at the last election lost TOTAL CONTROL
Clearly they have lost mandate from the WA people
Eh, the typical Labor voting socio-economic demographic will probably lose the most in the medium term from their policies, and will hopefully spur some change in due course. The rest of us will be fine.
So you didn’t vote for them, in effect did what you could to see they weren’t elected, but are still disappointed you got the $5k rebate?
Would you have been happier with no rebate?
Yes… If I can't get a half decent economy I'd like 5k+ in battery rebates.
@Protractor: Just curious, why is that relevant? Whether or not you vote for a particular party, you should be dissappointed in them reneging on an election promise after winning. Don't see how that's defendable.
Don't they still have total control though?
The issue is that quasi premier (Gina) likes batteries about as much as her kids like her.
Very disappointing, but as expected with Labor I guess.
Stick to your anti ALP principles then, and refuse the rebate. Fancy not offering you the whole bag of cash. Poor battler you.As if your voting leaning would/can offer this free kick.
If you voted for a freekick, I'd expect you to get the freekick. Not that hard.
But you didn’t vote for the free kick, you wanted someone else.
That's a stupid argument. Me voting for another party doesn't entitle me to skip on tax on unrealised gains. All voters benefit or suffer from the policy decisions of the winning party. I, like any other voter, should be entitled to the outcomes promised pre election.
@niknikniknik: It seems like the type of fiscal responsibility you should be lauding but typical neo-liberal type wants their cake and eat it too
The state government announcement on the revised rebate explained that it allowed more homes participate in the scheme within its existing $380m funding. That sounds to me a better solution than having a small number of people cover almost their entire outlay with the federal and state susbsidy.
surely they did the numbers prior to announcing the $5k rebate…
This reeks of arse covering.
I think the bigger dealbreaker is the requirement to join a VPP with no detail on for how long. If they drain your 10KWh battery, you'll be paid but then have to draw from the grid.
There's some discussion on whether you still get the 1.3K for batteries greater than 10KWh. If it turns out to be true, then the VPP would even have more battery capacity at their disposal for no additional outlay, not worth the 1.3K subsidy IMO.
So, their "offer" is they pay you $1300 for the ability to empty your battery whenever they feel like it. (I assume given our single retailer, Synergy's Battery Rewards will be it for those in the SWIS). Synergy can empty your battery 30 times per year.
Destroys any thoughts of managing a time-of-use plan.
Guess my install is costing $5k more than quoted all of a sudden. Thanks Roger.
They give you free draw from the grid while they are using your battery as part of the deal. Seems reasonable to me, why should the govt subsidise your battery if you aren't going to let the grid benefit from it?
The grid benefits by not having to supply load to battery-supported houses during peak demand?
The "activation credits" scheme appears reasonably generous (70c/kwh), and the "Energy Offset Credits" seem OK, but the devil is going to be in the details - which will be "published shortly".
There is no detail on how long you need to be connected to the VPP for the $1300 subsidy either. If you disconnect 1 month in, do you keep the subsidy? What about after 5 or 10 years? What is required if you buy a house that has been connected?
This all seems to have been put together at the last moment - still no clarification of approved equipment or installers - presumably the election promise was made without any thought to detail 😕.
tl;dr
Happy with $5k rebate to invest in batteries
OP realises they can double dip,
Government stops double dip,
OP is mad because $5k isn't enough.
Lol
and would be the first to protest govt money spent on wind and solar farms.
Amber-Jade Sanderson getem poisoned chalice again with this portfolio (firstly with health)
WA has gas,gas,gas until 2070. Electricity and batteries should be free for the whole population, given the impacts ahead. Gunna need that RC AC,>>>>>>>>>>>>>big time.
Also Minister>
"The [total] rebate is still $5,000, so that is the original commitment from WA Labor," she told ABC Radio Perth.
"I think it's important to understand that at no point did the federal government or the state government indicate that those rebates would be stacked.
"People made an assumption, but I think overall for the greater good and a huge number of people now who will have access to a rebate, that is a better outcome for the community."
So I did my calcs on this. I'm getting a 15kWh battery in WA.
Assumed original discount (federal plus $5k WA), out of pocket = $3,560
Current actual discount (federal plus max $1,300 WA), out of pocket = $7,260
Difference = $3,700. Which is a lot, but to be honest I'm happy that this guarantees that I actually get the discount (as remember, it was limited to 20k installs) and now 100k people get it which is good for WA. I could have been application #20,001 and not got any WA rebate.
Now re the VPP, I was planning to discharge my battery every single day of the year during peak time-of-use (52.5c), and charge during super off peak (8.4c). So having the VPP being able to discharge my battery 30 times a year (max one cycle in each instance) is no additional discharges per year for me, so no difference to warranty, lifespan etc. They will cover my consumption during this discharge (at 52.5c) via credits, so again, no net change. But they pay me 70c/kWh for this battery power, so absolutely best case (assuming full battery use each time, and all 30 uses per year, and that they don't reduce this figure) I will be up $315/year. So assume 12 years of life, that's $3,780. Basically the same as getting a full $5k WA rebate
I know this is best case, excludes opportunity cost of the $3,700 difference, excludes battery capacity reduction, excludes changes to the VPP payback pricing, terms etc. But it shows that it's not as bad as I originally thought.
Not enough during the summer. You want at least 50 kW in the 40 degree heat.
So you're disappointed because you are getting the $5k rebate?