Abbott's crusade to shatter WA's solar boom
The Australian Greens said today that the federal government to move to ban the Clean Energy Finance Corporation from investing in small scale solar will impede WA's rapid uptake of rooftop solar and impact local businesses.
"Researched released by the Greens shows that the number of WA homes with solar photovoltaic (PV) power has increased 19% in just one year - overwhelmingly in outer suburbs and households with lower incomes," Senator Scott Ludlam, Australian Greens acting leader said today.
"Householders are streaking ahead of the state and federal government as they use rooftop solar to dramatically reduce their power bills, but Tony Abbott's crusade against renewable energy is set to have a devastating effect.
"Retirees, people on lower incomes and people in outer metro and rural areas of the state will be hardest hit by this.
"Tony Abbott's wants people to pay more for electricity from coal fired power stations, rather than accessing clean, renewable and power from their own rooftops.
"This decision will also impact burgeoning small and medium sized businesses in WA who are developing and installing solar technology. This is an industry of the future that the PM is actively blocking to protect the vested interests of the fossil fuel sector.
"Strong and ongoing investment in solar PV is a key plank of the Greens' Energy 2029 plan, which sets out a road map to move WA to 100% renewable energy. Emerging technologies, including household battery packs for storing solar power, will massive game-changers, boosting the capacity of households to be even more energy self-sufficient. This is all at risk thanks to the abject failure of the Abbott Government," Senator Ludlam concluded.
The WA Solar Postcodes report, produced by Australian Greens deputy leader Scott Ludlam, is based on figures from the Clean Energy Regulator and specially commissioned data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. It shows 180,000 WA households now have PV power cells on their roofs, an increase of 19% in just one year. Four WA postcodes are in the Australian top 20 solar installers: Mandurah (#2); North East Wanneroo (#8); Canning Vale/Willetton (#12) and Cockburn at #19.