13 October 2016
The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) is preparing advice on the retail offers and technology available for solar energy customers.
The NSW Government has asked IPART to report by the end of November on the types of products and services available to residential solar customers in the lead up to the closure of the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme on 31 December 2016.
IPART Chair Dr Peter Boxall said expert input is being sought from the solar industry and energy retailers about different tariff structures being offered to solar customers, the types of electricity meters available and the services they provide, and any storage or other products to help manage electricity use and bills.
“We are looking at the different types of energy meters and whether the services they offer such as in-home displays and data analytics can help home owners manage their electricity consumption and bills, Dr Boxall said.
“Our report will provide information to assist solar customers to understand and make informed decisions when the Solar Bonus Scheme ends. For instance, this will include information on how the changes to metering arrangements, tariffs and new technologies such as battery storage will affect customers transitioning to voluntary feed-in tariffs once the Solar Bonus Scheme ends.”
Over 146,000 customers currently receive a subsidised feed-in tariff of either 20 or 60 cents per kWh under the Solar Bonus Scheme. Once the Scheme closes, all solar customers will be able to choose from voluntary feed-in tariffs set by retailers in the competitive market. The current benchmark range provided for guidance to retailers and customers is 5.5 to 7.2 cents per kWh.
A copy of the Terms of Reference for the review is available at IPART's website.
Media Contact: Julie Sheather 02 9290 8403 or 0409 514 643