Antinuclear

Queensland’s solar industry, jobs, on North Coast threatened by changes to Renewable Energy Target

North Coast solar industry worried by changes to Renewable Energy Target ABC News 23 Oct 2014, The North Coast solar industry says it will be impacted by changes to the Federal Government’s changes to the renewable energy target (RET).

The target is currently set at 41,000 kilowatts of renewable energy by 2020, but the Government wants to reduce that to 26,000 to reflect falling demand for power.

The changes would only impact large-scale RET projects directly, with the small-scale scheme excluded………

Geoff Tosio from Bellingen Solar Depot said the even with the small-scale target excluded, his business will still suffer if the target is lowered.

“In regards to the renewable energy target being chopped down to a “real” 20 percent, if that’s going to happen, then how is that going to happen?” he asked.

“To say that’s not going to affect household solar is quite disingenuous.”

Mr Tosio said a particular concern is that large-scale contracts will be impacted.

“We would see a dramatic reduction in the medium size, commercial size, systems that we sell,” he said.

“So while I think it’s better than the previous position, we’ll probably still see a quarter of the industry go very, very quiet.

“And that will definitely have an impact on employment.”http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-24/north-coast-solar-industry-worried-by-changes-to-renewable-ener/5839124

October 25, 2014 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Queensland, solar