GREENS TO EXAMINE MINISTER’S FEED-IN-TARIFF PROPOSALS

The Tasmanian Greens today welcomed the release of an Issues Paper by the Energy Minister Bryan Green MP containing Labor’s proposals for determining future energy feed-in tariffs in Tasmania.

Greens Energy spokesperson Kim Booth MP said that the Greens Party Room would carefully examine the Minister’s proposals, and pay close attention to public feedback.

“The Greens already have sophisticated position on a mechanism for determining feed-in-tariffs, which has received strong support, and which we remain committed to,” Mr Booth said.

“We do, however, look forward to hearing community feedback on what the Minister is proposing.”

“The industry and consumers now have a chance to meaningfully compare what Labor and the Greens have put forward as long-term arrangements for feed-in-tariffs.”

“Unfortunately nobody yet knows what the Liberal Party would do about feed-in-tariffs, because they are too busy playing political games by refusing to outline a position.”

“The issue of long-term sustainable power prices is too important to the Tasmanian community and the economy to play political games and I am calling on the Liberal Party to release their position.”

“The Greens’ policy position is about achieving a fair price based on environmental, social and economical considerations.”

“Our position proposes that, as a transitional arrangement, the current one-to-one feed-in-tariff provisions are maintained for new and existing customers for a period of two years.”

“After this a fair minimum tariff will be determined by an expert panel, with a sliding scale ensuring that the real value to the grid, depending where and when the transmission is made, is realised”

Tasmanian Greens MPs’ Position on Feed-in-Tariffs:

The Tasmanian Greens’ policy on feed-in-tariffs for small scale generators (below 10 Kw):

1. No feed-in-tariff or connection to a grid will be allowed unless it is from 100% renewable generation.

2. For the removal of doubt, Bio mass generation from native forest is specifically excluded.*

3. Retailers will be required to purchase power from small-scale renewable generators.

4. As a transitional arrangement, current 1:1 feed-in-tariff provisions to be maintained for new and existing customers for two years following proclamation of legislation relating to feed-in-tariffs. The price difference between the combined cost of wholesale power price and distribution charges, and the feed-in-tariff, to be met from the Consolidated Fund.

5. That an independent advisory panel be established with appropriate representation from a range of relevant stakeholders to consult widely on feed-in-tariff/distributed generation incentives, including the potential for a sliding feed-in-tariff scale based on the type of system, and to provide greater incentives in areas, for example, of supply constraint, and;

The Panel is to:

a) Taking into account social, economic and environmental considerations, provide advice to the Minister and Parliament on a fair and reasonable feed-in-tariff for the first two years after the expiry of transitional arrangements;

b) Recommend an ongoing process to determine the mechanism for setting a fair and reasonable feed-in-tariff into the future.

*Except for genuine by-product generated on site from operations which have a primary purpose that is not electricity generation, ie a country sawmill.
Kim Booth MP Greens Energy Thursday, 16 May 2013