NSW’s Solar Bonus Scheme is all but dead after industry experts and the State Government agreed it was too costly to continue in its current form.
Friday’s Solar Summit in Sydney resulted in a unanimous consensus to close off the scheme to stem further blowouts to the State Budget.
“This particular scheme, which there has been a consensus here today, needs to be closed and needs to be closed off in a fair manner,” said NSW Energy Minister Chris Hartcher.
In April, Premier Barry O’Farrell revealed the scheme had already cost the State a budget overrun of $759 million.
A day later Mr. Hartcher suspended the scheme for two months and announced the total cost could reach $1.9 billion.
Yet all this won’t help Ocean Shores woman Lynnette Kee, who did a lot of research before buying solar panels for her home, choosing a system she believed would cover her family’s electricity needs.
After shelling out almost $4000 to have it installed, she was left disappointed.
Even on the best days, the 1.5-kilowatt system produces only two-thirds of the output she expected, and the company that installed it has offered little explanation.
“The after-sales service was very poor. I was basically made to feel like an idiot,” Ms Kee said.
She is among the thousands of Australians who have flocked to solar power thanks to government rebates, but misleading statements from the industry have led the consumer watchdog, the ACCC, to issue a warning that performance claims and statements about related financial assistance schemes must be accurate.
Rainbow Power Company sales manager Dave Lambert acknowledged there were a few bad apples in every industry, and some who “gilded the lily”, overstating potential returns.
