Western Australia’s Horizon Power’ s solar feed-in tariffs will especially benefit rural communities

Solar households in towns located further from energy generation sources, or where power generation is expensive, will be offered higher prices for the electricity they export to the grid…. For households in regional and remote areas of Western Australia, under Horizon’s new feed in tariff structure the savings could be much higher.

Horizon Power To Offer Location Based Solar Feed In Tariff, Energy Matters, 3 April 12, In what appears to be a first for Australia, Western Australia’s Horizon Power will introduce area-specific solar feed-in tariffs. While owners of systems in some towns will receive a much higher rate, others will receive less.Horizon Power’s Renewable Energy Buyback Scheme rate is currently equivalent to a customer’s current electricity tariff, minus GST. Horizon’s incentive is in addition to Western Australia’s state government mandated feed in tariff rate of 8c per kilowatt hour.

From 1 July 2012, a minimum buyback rate of 10 cents per kilowatt hour
and a maximum of 50 cents per kilowatt hour will apply to Horizon
solar customers, depending on location. ….
Horizon says the change is to recognise the difference in the cost of
delivering energy to various areas. Solar households in towns located
further from energy generation sources, or where power generation is
expensive, will be offered higher prices for the electricity they
export to the grid. In others, the incentive will be lowered to
reflect the lower cost of providing electricity to those areas.

State Government-owned Horizon Power supplies electricity to more than
100,000 residents and 9000 businesses across regional Western
Australia.

With electricity prices in Western Australia to keep rising,
households in the state are installing solar panels to decrease or
even wipe out their electricity bills. According to national solar
solutions provider Energy Matters, a 3.2kW rooftop solar power
installation in Perth can generate electricity savings of just under
$1,200 a year. For households in regional and remote areas of Western
Australia, under Horizon’s new feed in tariff structure the savings
could be much higher.
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