It’s musical chairs again in South Australia, electrically speaking. One premier is out, another one in and a new take on renewable energy for homes. Incoming Steven Marshall has decided to have means-tested subsidies, as opposed to the outgoing solar battery plan. This had promised to install free Tesla batteries in Housing Trust homes for low-income families. Politics is confusing. We will leave it there.
South Australia’s Two Pronged Solar Battery Plan
The new premier has decided to pay a means-tested $2,500 grant per qualifying household, within a total $100 million project. This is a policy shift from giving solar panels and batteries free. Applicants for the new subsidy must already have their solar panels in place.
They must also be able to afford the upfront payment for the balance of the battery cost. Lower income households will be unable to afford this; hence they no longer fit into the scheme. Thus the revised South Australia solar battery plan appears to shift the focus away from social support to state power generation.
Premier Rejects State-Based Renewable Energy Targets
Steven Marshall has decided, “We don’t believe in state-based renewable energy targets … we do support a national approach.” This puts the pressure back on the central federal government. Critics have previously judged it as being ‘too soft on the Paris Agreement’ so we shall have to wait and see.
The incoming premier has however undertaken to support a $500 million interconnector line linking the New South Wales and South Australian grids. These neighboring states would then be able to import and export energy to each other.
South Australia already has interconnects with the state of Victoria, so trading will not be a novel experience for South Australians. We shall have to wait and see how this revised solar battery plan pans out. However, as long as Australia becomes greener the overall goal is still in sight.
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Preview Image: Barossa Valley Vineyards
