Antinuclear

Rooftop solar holds best promise for cheaper electricity in Adelaide

Dennis Matthews 18 April I have been keeping records of my electricity use since 1986 and I agree with Russell Marsh (The Advertiser,18/4/14), South Australia had high electricity prices well before the first wind farm.

Poor local coal resources and expensive gas were the initial culprits. Then came privatization and the national electricity market (NEM) accompanied by increased regulation, which gave the transmission and distribution monopolies a guaranteed return on investment. The result was overinvestment in the poles and wires.

Affluent consumers suddenly decided they needed air conditioners. The increase in electricity demand during heat waves resulted in a sellers’ market. Wholesale prices jumped from $40 to $10,000 a megawatt hour (MWh).

Thanks to privatization and the NEM it was hard to pin down who was responsible; was it the Government, was it the regulators, was it the generators, was it the distributors, was it the retailers?

Rooftop solar has been the only bright spot, but until it is easily accessible by rental accommodation then its benefits will be unevenly spread.

April 18, 2014 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uncategorized