{"id":23592,"date":"2018-08-20T06:38:17","date_gmt":"2018-08-19T20:08:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/?p=23592"},"modified":"2018-08-20T06:38:17","modified_gmt":"2018-08-19T20:08:17","slug":"abbott-accc-solar-subsidy-mb0712","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/abbott-accc-solar-subsidy-mb0712\/","title":{"rendered":"Abbott Backs ACCC’s Call For Solar Subsidy Axing"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Tony

Tony Abbott | Image: via Facebook<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

Shock, horror. Tony Abbott has embraced the ACCC’s recommendation to axe Australia’s solar subsidy early.<\/p>\n

Mr. Abbott says the Turnbull Government should be grateful Victoria is against the National Energy Guarantee<\/a> (NEG) and use it as an escape route.<\/p>\n

“The government could then craft a new energy policy based largely on the ACCC\u2019s recommendations which, unlike the NEG, were all about cutting price,”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Among the Abbott-approved recommendations recently made by the ACCC<\/a> is the accelerated winding down and end of Australia\u2019s small-scale renewable energy scheme (SRES).<\/p>\n

“..let\u2019s end all the consumer subsidies for new intermittent power \u2013 because if the barrackers are right and it\u2019s cheapest, they don\u2019t need subsidies anyway,” stated<\/a> Mr. Abbott.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The “solar rebate<\/a>” is already being phased out<\/a>. Uptake under the SRES has helped keep a lid on wholesale electricity prices, assisted many Australians in slashing their power bills and has made a significant contribution to electricity related emissions reduction. The SRES only comprises 1% of household electricity bills<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Mr. Abbott acknowledges ending consumer solar subsidies will require changes to legislation, which could be quite a challenge given the popularity of solar power<\/a> in this country. There is another way around it – the Energy Minister can fiddle with the “small-scale knob<\/a>” to create the same effect, something he was under pressure to do the last time the opportunity presented itself. However, that could have some nasty broader repercussions.<\/p>\n

.. But Let’s Subsidise Coal<\/h2>\n

Mr. Abbott then went on to say:<\/p>\n

“Subsidising renewables to lower emissions and then having to subsidise coal to keep the lights on is hardly optimum policy but it might be necessary given the mess we\u2019re in.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And there it is, with renewables providing the excuse to further prop up coal.<\/p>\n

It’s not as though subsidising coal would be something new. Plenty of taxpayer support has been provided at various points along the little black rock’s value (or more accurately, destruction) chain.<\/p>\n

As for keeping the lights on, some coal generators didn’t do so well on that during summer<\/a> (but thankfully solar stepped up to the plate<\/a>) and there have been various incident<\/a> outside of summer. But if you throw enough coal poop against a wall, some of it will invariably stay stuck.<\/p>\n

An alternative the ex-PM turned backbencher floated would be for “a government entity to secure any gap between likely demand and available 24\/7 power and to use the additional capacity to keep the market honest.” .<\/p>\n

Other items on Tony Abbott’s wish-list include:<\/p>\n