Oh dear.
I remain deeply concerned about the potential for "Solargeddon" in Australia if the RET issue is not resolved quickly. However, it is becoming clearer by the day that the Prime Minister is astoundingly out of touch on this issue.
New research released today highlights the issues and validates previous findings demonstrating the incredibly far reaching support for solar.
PM TONY ABBOTT IS NOT REPRESENTING THE COMMUNITY OR HIS VOTERS.
Whilst the Prime Minister claims to be representing his constituents on the RET, research shows he is doing exactly the opposite.
In terms of constituents, poll data shows that 70% of coalition voters ARE IN FAVOUR OF RETAINING THE RET. Poll's also found they understand the issue and that the RET is not the reason electricity prices are going up, making a mockery of the driver behind the review.
The broader population is increasingly supportive of the RET too. More than 82% OF TOTAL VOTERS ARE NOW IN SUPPORT OF THE RET which has increased from 77% a year ago.
Responses to the Review supported this finding with a staggering 23, 272 submissions to the RET review panel of which 99% WANTED THE TARGET RETAINED OR EXPANDED
This is totally consistent with previous analysis which shows the penetration of solar by electorate and that THE TOP 3 SOLAR ELECTORATES IN AUSTRALIA ARE LNP SEATS.
There are also a growing number of COALITION AND OPPOSITION MP'S AND STATE GOVERNMENT MINISTERS who are vocally supporting the RET and clearly, are at odds with the Prime Minister.
And on top of that, polls released by the Australian showed 89% OF AUSTRALIANS "Want the Government to subsidise the use of renewable energy" and ALSO 89% SAy they "Don't think the Government is investing enough in Renewable energy" and EVEN 84% SAY they would "Be willing to pay a little to a lot more for renewable energy"
So, 4.5 Million voters across all demographics and political persuasions, including members of the Prime Minister's own party in survey after survey support the RET.
And it is increasing every day.
BUSINESS IS KEY AND THEY SUPPORT THE RET TOO.
So if voters and members support the RET then it must be business who doesn't support it and they are influencing the Prime Minister, right? Wrong.
A former chairman of the AUSTRALIAN COAL ASSOCIATION IAN DUNLOP said "Corporate Australia is in denial over climate change", and that "The more enlightened corporations around the world are seeing that we now do have a very big problem, but we also have an enormous opportunity", implying support for programs such as the the RET. Former Minister John Hewson has also GONE TO PRESS saying that "The days of burning fossil fuels unabated is over" along with a host of other former Government ministers including Malcolm Turnbull who has been a keen advocate for the renewable energy industry in days gone by.
Even more telling is the fact that 100 MANAGERS OF LEADING BUSINESSES IN THE RESOURCES AND ENERGY SECTOR in Australia said that "53 per cent want the 20 per cent target to stay the same, 34 per cent would like to see it increased and 13 per cent would like to see it reduced".
Of course it goes without saying that the 3,800 solar businesses in Australia want the target retained, so they can simply get on with the plan that has been in place for ten year. What the Prime Minister doesn't seem to realise is that a)96% OF SOLAR BUSINESSES ARE SME'S, the backbone of the Australian economy and that b) the industry employs around 21,000 directly, more than double the coal generation sector.
Our own small survey of solar businesses last week revealed that 91% OF SOLAR BUSINESSES EXPECTED THEIR BUSINESS TO REDUCE if the RET was cut.
So, businesses, business leaders and a broad suite of industry sectors support the RET too.
And it is increasing every day.
CRUNCH TIME
I'm going to spell this is out for the Prime Minister in the simplest possible terms.
CONSUMERS OF ELECTRICITY AT HOME OR IN BUSINESS LOVE SOLAR BECAUSE IT HELPS THEM REDUCE COSTS.
Poll's can be wrong but the truth on this issue isn't rocket science; it really is that simple.
Your views on the RET, and the views of the Review Panel therefore represent an out-of-touch minority.
Wake up.
Author: Iloka Benneth Chiemelie
Published: 9th-November-2014
1. INTRODUCTION When it comes to measuring sustainability in energy resources, nuclear power stands out as one of the favorable approaches. The reasons are underlined in the fact that it can easily be operated, it can provide vast amount of energy to conveniently power any given system or society, and it does emit huge CO2 like other energy sources such as Coal and Petroleum. The global demand for energy resources will most certainly increase significantly in the next decades as a result of economic and demographic growth, especially in developing worlds. If the current trends is not reversed, this demand will be met by fossil fuels, which will further increase Carbon emission and cause more harm to the society. Thus, any energy resource that is capable of reducing this emission and enhancing sustainability of the human race is a welcomed path. 2. NUCLEAR POWER AS THE SOURCE OF FUTURE ENERGY As both business and governments battle the challenges of increasing emission, all eyes are set on new paths that will increase sustainability and nuclear power is one of such paths. Generating electricity from nuclear power doesn't produce any direct emission of CO2 - which is the major greenhouse gas that is responsible for global warming (GIF, 2010). The indirect emission (which is synonymous with all sources of energy) is as a result of fossil fuels used in operating the nuclear fuel cycle (GIF, 2010). Additionally, advancement in technologies can also limit the indirect emission of Carbon from the fossil fuels used in operating the nuclear plant. Since nuclear power is an established source of low-carbon energy, it can play important role when it comes to reducing CO2 emissions, and it can also ensure reliable and affordable supplies of energy. A number of scenarios have been used to illustrate this an such include the International Energy Agency's Blue Map scenario, which showed that there will be 50% reduction in CO2 emission from energy sources (NEA, 2012). Such case will be made effective by adopting 1 200 GWe of nuclear capacity by 2050, which is equivalent to 24% of the global supply of electricity. The expectation is a higher proliferation of nuclear power with an eventual reduction in emission (NEA, 2012). From the above analysis, it is clear that nuclear power is a reliable and effective source of electricity and it does have major advantage of reducing carbon emission - thus, ensuring environmental sustainability. As such, one would be right to conclude that nuclear power holds a powerful position as the future source of energy because it is the most effective way of meeting global demand for energy-based low-carbon emission. 3. WILL INCREASE OF NUCLEAR POWER IN A COUNTRY REDUCE AVAILABILITY IN ANOTHER COUNTRY?Unlike fossil fuels and coal, increase in nuclear proliferation of a given country will not affect availability in another country. This is because nuclear energy are operated from nuclear plants and doesn't deplete like fossil fuels and coal. Thus, countries can have any many nuclear plants as deemed necessary without their own proliferation affecting availability in another country (as would be experienced in the case of mined fuels where depletion can affect availability - as the more a country have, the less another country will have). Thus, nuclear power is clearly a reliable means of energy supply 9 GIF, 2010; IAEA, 2007; IAEA, 2008; NEA, 2011; von Lensa and Verfondern, 2010). In any case, it is important to understanding that some barriers can hinder the extent of proliferation a country can undertake and such barriers include:1. Associated difficulties with financing high capital costs of nuclear plants.2. Constraints of individual capacity and human resources needed for construction and maintenance of nuclear plants.3. Addressing pre-Fukuhima extents of how the public accepts nuclear energy.4. Demonstrating high standards of safety management with respect to radioactive waste and many more issues (NEA, 2012). Irrespective of these barriers, "ceteris paribus", proliferation in one country will not halt availability in another country as all countries can have as many nuclear plants as desired. Availability is only halted by the barriers above. 4. CONCLUSION The future of energy is nuclear because it is reliable, effective and sustainable. However, necessary measures need to be taken into consideration when deciding to go nuclear because past experiences (e.g. The Furkushima plant in Japan) have shown that nuclear disasters can bring about unending damaged and heavily devastating effects on the society. However, "ceteris paribus", nuclear is the future of sustainable and reliable energy supply. 5. REFERENCESGIF (2010), Annual Report 2010, Generation IV International Forum, published by OECD/NEA, Paris, France. IAEA (2007), Non-Electric Applications of Nuclear Power: Seawater Desalination, Hydrogen Production and other Industrial Applications, Proceeding of an International Conference, Oarai, Japan, 16-19 April 2007, IAEA-CN-152, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria. IAEA (2008), Advanced Applications of Water Cooled Nuclear Power Plants, IAEA-TECDOC-1584, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria. IAEA (web), Small and Medium Sized Reactors, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria, available at: www.iaea.org/NuclearPower/SMR/[Accessed on: 20-8-2014] NEA (2011), "Current Status, Technical Feasibility and Economics of Small Nuclear Reactors", OECD/NEA, Paris, France, available at: www.oecd-nea.org/ndd/reports/2011/current-status-small-reactors.pdf[Accessed on: 20-8-2014] NEA (2012), "The Role of Nuclear Energy in a Low-carbon Energy Future." Available at: http://www.oecd-nea.org/nsd/reports/2012/nea6887-role-nuclear-low-carbon.pdf[Accessed on: 20-8-2014]
von Lensa, W. and K. Verfondern (2010), 20 Years of German R&D on Nuclear Heat Applications, Research Centre J"ulich, Germany, 4th International Conference on IGCC & XIL Technologies - IFC2010, 3-6 May 2010, Dresden, Germany.
The Megawatt Block Incentive Structure (Megawatt Block) is one of New York's most important solar incentives. The program provides strong subsidies for both commercial and residential rooftop solar energy systems. The size of your subsidy depends on how big the solar energy system you install is, and how much solar energy is already being produced in your area. You also don't need to take any action to claim the benefit if you use a state certified installer.
IN TOTAL, THE VARIOUS SOLAR INCENTIVES AVAILABLE IN NEW YORK STATE COULD REDUCE THE COST OF GOING SOLAR BY MORE THAN 50%. SO WHY NOT START SHOPPING FOR SOLAR TODAY? ENERGYSAGE'S SOLAR MARKETPLACE IS A GREAT PLACE TO START COMPARING YOUR OPTIONS.
MEGAWATT BLOCK SOLAR INCENTIVE STRUCTURE: HOW TO DETERMINE YOUR INCENTIVE
The Megawatt Block Incentive provides generous up-front discounts for solar energy systems, delivered in a 'dollar-per-watt' (/W) format. The highest incentives available through the program are 1/W, but will eventually fall to as low as 0.15/W.
WHAT'S A WATT? KILOWATT? MEGAWATT? A 'watt' (W) is the basic measurement of solar electricity generation capacity. 1,000 watts is equal to a kilowatt (kW), which is the measure commonly used when talking about rooftop solar systems. (The average rooftop solar energy system in the USA is about 6kW). 1,000 kilowatts is equal to a megawatt (MW) - typically used when talking about large amounts of solar capacity. 1MW is equivalent to about 160 residential solar installations.
A number of factors influence the amount of the discount you may be eligible for. The questions below will help you determine your incentive.
1. WHICH REGION OF NEW YORK DO YOU LIVE IN AND WHO IS YOUR UTILITY?
Under the Megawatt Block Incentive, New York State is divided into three geographic / utility network districts: Long Island, Con Edison territory (NYC and Westchester County) and Upstate. In each of these three districts, the Megawatt Block Incentive reduces the costs associated with a solar energy system installation. Your incentive rate will depend on in which region you are having your system installed.
2. IS YOUR PROJECT RESIDENTIAL OR NONRESIDENTIAL?
The Megawatt Block Incentive supports both residential and small commercial solar projects in New York State. The amount of the incentive available to you differs depending on whether you will have your system installed on your home or business.
3. WHAT 'BLOCK' IS YOUR REGION CURRENTLY IN?
Screenshot of the NY-Sun Megawatt Block dashboard illustrating how incentive Blocks 'fill up' and then 'roll over' into lower rates.
Under Megawatt Block, each district has a set number of subsidy 'blocks' which determine the incentive rate. As more people install solar panels, a block will begin to 'fill up' towards a predetermined threshold, measured in megawatts of solar panel capacity. Once a threshold is reached, the incentive is reduced for everyone who goes solar after that. This will continue until each block has reached its cap, at which point no more incentives will be available.
You can get a clearer idea of how the program (and of the current incentives) by visiting NY-Sun's Megawatt Block Dashboard tool.
AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THE BLOCKS WORK: RESIDENTIAL SYSTEM IN UPSTATE NEW YORK
Residential Block 1 for the Upstate region had a cap of 40MW (40,000kW - or about 6,500 residential systems) and the incentive rate was 1 per watt (1/W) - a discount of 1 for every watt of solar capacity installed (or 6,000 for a 6kW system). Lots of people installed solar, and this block reached its cap in September of 2014 (just 9 months after the Megawatt Block Incentive was introduced). The incentive then moved on to Block 2, which had a 15MW cap (about 2,500 residential systems) and offered an incentive of 0.90/W. At the time of writing, the incentive is in Block 4, and the current rate is 0.70/W with a cap of 22MW.
THE SIZE OF YOUR SOLAR SYSTEM DETERMINES YOUR FINAL DISCOUNT
Once you've determined the current /W incentive that applies to you, you can now determine the amount of your discount - as long as you know the size of the system you are going to choose. FOR EXAMPLE, IF THE CURRENT INCENTIVE RATE FOR YOU IS 0.70/W AND YOU HAVE DECIDED ON A 6KW SOLAR SYSTEM (6,000W) YOUR DISCOUNT WILL BE 4,200. IF YOU HAVE CHOSEN A 10KW SYSTEM, YOUR DISCOUNT WILL BE 7,000.
MEGAWATT BLOCK SOLAR INCENTIVE RATES: NOW AND FUTURE
Incentive rates under the Megawatt Block system are designed to decrease as more people go solar. The table below shows the current Block incentives available for a 6kW solar system versus what they will at the end of the program. As you can see, the incentive for a 6kW solar system will drop by as much as 3,600 between now and the final Blocks of the program.
INCENTIVES AVAILABLE FOR A 6KW SOLAR SYSTEM UNDER NY MEGAWATT BLOCK INCENTIVE
RESIDENTIAL
SMALL NON-RESIDENTIAL
REGION
NOW
END OF PROGRAM
NOW
END OF PROGRAM
CON EDISON REGION
4,800
1,200
3,300
900
UPSTATE REGION
4,200
1,200
2,700
900
LONG ISLAND REGION
1,800
1,200
2,580
900
New York's Megawatt Block Solar Incentive is a good example of why you shouldn't put off going solar to wait for technology to improve and prices to come down. Even as rooftop solar becomes more affordable and components become more efficient and durable, incentives are being scaled back to match. (You can read more on this topic in our article, "Is now the right time to buy a solar panel system or should I wait?")
HOW TO CLAIM YOUR SUBSIDY
The great thing about the Megawatt Block Incentive is that you do not need to do anything to claim it - your solar installer will apply it to the total price of your solar energy system. You should be able to see it itemized in any quotes that you receive from installers. This is a good thing to keep in mind when you are comparing offers from different solar installation companies.
The Megawatt Block Incentive And Solar Quality Control
The Megawatt Block Incentive also acts as a default quality control mechanism for solar installations: Only installation companies that have met NY state's certification criteria can pass the Megawatt Block Incentive through to you. Read more about these requirements on New York's NY-Sun website.
WHY IS THE MEGAWATT BLOCK INCENTIVE GREAT FOR NY'S SOLAR SHOPPERS?
The Megawatt Block Incentive is a boon to New York State residents considering solar power for a number of reasons:
* It is a generous incentive that requires no effort or paperwork for you (the customer) to claim it.
* It ensures that solar energy system prices come down gradually and without any dramatic fluctuations - so that there is always a good reason to go solar but never pressure to rush to beat a cutoff deadline.
* Because only installers who are certified under the state's criteria can apply for the incentive, it works as an indirect quality control measure for the solar industry. Only qualified installers are able to offer you the incentive.
NEW YORK'S INCENTIVES MEAN BIG DISCOUNTS ON SOLAR POWER
The Megawatt Block Incentive only one of New York's suite of generous solar incentives, including the state's Solar Tax Credit, which alone could reduce your tax bill by up to 5,000.
IN TOTAL, THE VARIOUS INCENTIVES AVAILABLE COULD REDUCE THE COST OF GOING SOLAR BY MORE THAN 50% IN NEW YORK. SO WHY NOT START SHOPPING FOR SOLAR TODAY? ENERGYSAGE'S SOLAR MARKETPLACE IS A GREAT PLACE TO START COMPARING YOUR OPTIONS.
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