Adelaide Airport solar energy system scrapped; working group seeks new concept for $837,000 project

An eight-month process launched by Adelaide Airport Limited in April to “enter into an arrangement” with an or ganisation or consortium “for the design, supply and install­ation” of the solar energy sys tem has been scrapped weeks from a planned media launch, according to Michael Owen, political reporter, in The Advertiser (17/9/2007, p. 23).

Limping project killed off: Adelaide Airport spokesman John McArdle said the consor tiums were told last month the initial concept “was dead”. An AAL-State Government working group had decided to “go for a completely new con cept”. “We went back to the draw ing board,” he said. Details of the new plan are still being developed. After inquiries by The Adver tiser, however, AAL admitted the project brief for shortlisted consortiums to “quote for the construction and commission ing of the system” had been abandoned last month.

Proposal details: AAL documents obtained by The Advertiser show after receiving 11 submissions, AAL in May shortlisted three consortiums. They were BP Solar/ Grieve Gillet/Martins Integrated/Wallbridge & Gilbert; Origin/Hassell/Wallbridge and Gilbert and GHD/TEQMan. The documents state AAL and the Government had agreed on solar systems for the Terminal 1 veranda on the Level 2 drop-off, Vickers Vimy Memorial Building and adjac ent walkway and the Cowandilla-Mile End linear park. AAL was to oversee the co struction phase, with consult ant Sustainable Focus to work with the successful party, AAL and ETSA to “ensure satisfac tory grid connection of the installed system”.

New concept with different company? The total budget allocated for the project was $837,000, including any connection costs charged by ETSA. The working group was negotiating the feasibility of the new “concept” with a private organisation, McArdle said. “Another idea, used within the city of Adelaide, has been identified,” he said.

ActewAGL – now buys renewables at 7c a kilowatt hour – to fight a plan to make it under the proposed ACT law, to pay homes, 52c a kilowatt hour

ActewAGL’s general manager of retail, Ivan Slavich, said the 52c a kilowatt hour tariff was not a wise use of money.

Debt-ridden home owners can’t justify solar; but SA, and Vic feed-in tariff may change pattern

At least two state governments planned to adopt “feed-in tariffs”, which increase the rate home owners are paid for producing electricity from solar panels, reported The Sydney Morning Herald, (17/4/2007, p.12).

Innovative South Australian scheme to feed photovoltaic power into grid starts 1 July 2008

The South Australian government was taking a measured approach to a scheme to allow photovoltaic generators to feed electricity into the network, Minister for Energy P.F. Conlon said in the South Australian House of Assembly on 12 September 2007.

A first for Australia: Conlon said: “There has been some criticism that this scheme should have gone further by providing a higher rebate for a longer period, and applied to gross production. As this is a new policy of this kind for Australia, we cannot be certain how customers will respond until it has had a chance to operate. Therefore, the Government has determined that it will review the scheme’s operation after the first two and a half years or when the installed capacity of residential small-scale grid connected solar PV systems reaches 10 Mega Watts, whichever comes first.”

Five-year scheme: “In order to deal with ever changing technologies and Federal Government policies, it has been decided that the scheme will be of 5 years duration and be reviewed in order to assess how effective the scheme has been and to accommodate this changing environment,” Conlon said. “Realising that electricity retailers and the distributor will require some time to establish the processes, it is expected that the scheme would commence no later than 1 July 2008. We are hopeful, however, that retailers and the distributor would be able to put required changes in place earlier than 1 July 2008. Regardless of the commencement date, the scheme will conclude on 30 June 2013, which will allow householders to take advantage of the full five years of rebates under the scheme. In conclusion, the scheme will enhance the State’s international reputation for leading the response to climate change, by playing to our strength in renewable energy generally and, in this case, in deployment of solar energy for homes.”

Reference: P.F. Conlon, Minister for Energy, House of Assembly, South Australia, 12 September 2007.

Erisk Net, 16/9/2007

Revolution: South Australian Bill follows Victoria: small consumer may sell-back solar to the grid

South Australia’s Energy Minister P.F. Conlon in the second reading debate on the Electricity (Feed in Scheme—Residential Solar Systems) Amendment Bill in the South Australian House of Assembly on 12 September 2007 explained the new policy which was to allow small consumers to sell-back solar, to the grid.

Who gave the advice: Adelaide Thinkers in Residence such as Professors Stephen Schneider and Herbert Girardet supported the introduction of a “feed-in-tariff” — a premium price paid to those who are prepared to invest in solar panels. Also, the Chairman of Green Cross International, Mikhail Gorbachev, wrote to the Government and recommended the introduction of the feed-in scheme.”

Academic and international support: “South Australia remains in the vanguard with its climate change legislation, and its strengths in centralised and decentralised renewable energy generation,” Conlon said. “The [Bill] represents another step in the development of a coherent and purposeful strategy to keep South Australia at the forefront of governments facing the momentous challenge of climate change.

Growing support for comparable schemes: “Feed-in schemes have been implemented in many jurisdictions internationally as a means of promoting renewable power generation,” Conlon said. “By 2005, at least 32 countries and 5 States or Provinces had adopted such policies, more than half of which have been enacted since 2002. However, this legislation, which stipulates a premium feed-in tariff, is a first for our part of the world in providing a specific bonus for owners of solar panels. In Europe, at least sixteen EU states have introduced feed-in mechanisms to support renewable energy sources including solar electricity.”

Home-grown scheme for competitive market: “The Government has investigated similar schemes around the world but has not found one that could be directly implemented in the context of Australia’s National Electricity Market,” said Conlon. “By consulting the electricity and renewables industries, regulators and energy officials, a scheme has been developed that is suited to the competitive electricity market that exists in South Australia. Other jurisdictions are following our lead. The Victorian Government has introduced an amendment to its Electricity Act to guarantee small renewable energy generators a ‘fair price’ for any excess electricity they produce. The form it might take is yet to be specified and it is our hope that the lessons learnt from South Australia going first with the specific scheme will be disseminated widely around Australia and South East Asia.”

Reference: P.F. Conlon, Minister for Energy, House of Assembly, South Australia, 12 September 2007.

Erisk Net, 16/9/2007