Solar Power In Australia - The Battle Ahead by Energy Matters

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MONDAY 27 MAY, 2013 | 

Solar Power In Australia - The Battle Ahead

by Energy Matters

It's no surprise to the renewables industry, but that solar actually works has been a surprise to Big Energy - and this is increasingly making fossil fuel generators very nervous.

  

Speaking at the Solar 2013 conference in Melbourne, the Australian Photovoltaic Association's Muriel Watt warned that incumbent energy businesses will step up their fight against solar in the form of regulatory and tariff protection and campaigns to demonise it.

  

The latter is by no means a new development - the solar industry has been fighting myths and misinformation for years.

  

According to an article on RenewEconomy, Ms. Watt says incumbent utilities would attempt to push back on solar using a considerable arsenal of possibilities.

    

- Low buy back rates

- Gross metering

- Higher fixed charges

- Restrictions on new connections

- Discriminatory offerings

- Restrictions on operation

- Attempts to divide customers with "have and have nots"

- Mobilizing anti renewable lobby groups

- Political and regulatory support. 

  

Some of these strategies are already in place and each of these 'weapons' is explained in further detail on RenewEconomy. 

   

"The incumbents have found that renewables actually work. They thought that we would always be in the R&D bucket," said Ms. Watt.

   

Not only is the solar industry banding together for the uptick in hostilities; individual system owners are as well. A new grass-roots community group calledSolar Citizens aims to bring together existing and future solar owners in Australia and to help see solar installed on every suitable rooftop in the nation; which will be to the benefit of all households; solar and non-solar. 

   

One of Mahatma Gandhi's best known quotes is: "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." 

  

The first two scenarios have happened to the solar industry, the third is ongoing and while some battles have been won, the outcome of what is increasingly becoming an all out war remains to be seen. 

 

With millions of Australians now benefiting from home solar and more joining the ranks of the solar revolution each day; any presumption from incumbent utilities of victory could backfire in a big way.