What you need to do if you've recently installed or purchased solar
In short, the scheme will be closed when the 100 megawatt cap is reached. There is no certainty about when this will happen exactly, but it is expected in late November this year.
In order to ensure you have the best chance of getting in before the cap is reached, you have to take the following steps before 30 September. Even though this is the formal deadline, there is still uncertainty about when the scheme will close, so we suggest you take these steps as soon as possible:
- Panels installed: Get your solar panels installed.
- Feed-in Tariff contract finalised: Get a Premium Feed-in Tariff contract in place with your electricity retailer. Every retailer has a different process for this, but basically you need to have some form of confirmation from the retailer that you have an agreement in place. If you're not sure, call them and confirm. We advise that when speaking with your electricity retailer you ask for a reference number for the call and the name of the consultant for your personal records to help track the progress of your application.
- Forms sent: Make sure that the following three forms have been lodged with your electricity supplier: (A) the Solar Connection Form, which requests the installation of a bi-directional meter or reprogramming of a meter (B) the Electrical Work Request form and (C) the Certificate of Electrical Safety. There is a lot of detailed information about these forms (and other forms relating to solar panels) via the links above and on this Government website. The installer will usually lodge these forms for you when they install your system.
Unfortunately, that's not all you need to do. The scheme is expected to close in late November 2011, but this could happen earlier. Before the scheme closes, you also need to have taken the following further step. Again, we recommend you do this as soon as possible:
- Meter installed: Have a bi-directional meter installed and connected to the grid. The Solar Connection Form (see above) is essentially a request for the electricity supplier to install one of these meters or (if you already have one installed) reprogram the meter to allow it to read your solar power generation. You will be required to pay a fee for this. If smart meters have not yet been installed in your street, you will need to get a bi-directional meter installed, and later it may be replaced with a smart meter.
There is more information on the Department of Primary Industries' questions and answers web page.
Very important points!
Many solar customers find these processes a bit difficult. To make things easier, you should:
- For each step, make sure you keep copies of paperwork and request reference numbers if you speak to your electricity retailer, supplier or solar panel installer.
- Keep following up on each step by calling the relevant organisation, particularly your electricity retailer to make sure that your feed-in tariff contract is in place, and your electricity supplier to get them out to install or reprogram your meter.
If you're unsure who your electricity retailer or electricity supplier is:
- Your electricity retailer is the business whose name is on your bills.
- You can find out who your electricity supplier is on this website.
If you've installed solar through our DCES project, EnviroGroup will be available to help you through this process.
Is it still worth installing solar?
Solar is still a great option for households wanting to reduce their energy bills, protect against future electricity price rises and reduce their environmental impact by generating their own clean energy at home. This decision will reduce the return on investment, and so might make solar less attractive for some. But in the long run, we reckon it's a good bet for your home and the environment.
Solar customers in Victoria will also still receive value for excess electricity from their solar panels that is returned to the electricity network. The Government has said it will be introducing a transitional feed-in tariff from 1 January 2012 at a reduced rate of 25 cents for solar customers who do not get in before the Premium Feed-in Tariff is closed. More information on this policy are available from the Energy Minister's media release.
We expect more details of the transitional feed-in tariff to be announced soon, and we will be providing more information on this blog. Our media release on the announcement is available for download on our website, and we will be continuing to advocate on behalf of our members and the Moreland community for the Government to support those who choose solar.
