A PROMINENT agricultural environmental group has backed an extension of a scheme that could see farmers access discounts on larger solar electricity systems.
Previously, the Federal Government’s Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme had been capped at 100-kilowatt systems.
That’s now been extended to one-megawatt projects, with Farmers for Climate Action praising the move.
“This discount will help farmers’ shed roofs power a lot of farms,” said FCA spokesperson and Harden sheep and crop farmer Peter Holding.
“A good solar system helps shield the farm from those global energy markets we can’t control.
“War in Ukraine and Iran can’t send your power bill up so much if you’re producing your own power from your own solar and storing it in your own battery.
“Farmers and industrial businesses have huge areas of roof space and Australia has more sun than any other country; let’s use it.”
FCA CEO Verity Morgan-Schmidt agreed and said increasing the number of solar systems on Australian farms could not only help with localised energy security, but also drive down overall power prices.
“Australia’s solar, batteries and hydroelectricity have already helped lower the price of electricity, with the Australian Energy Market Operator cutting the price that retailers are allowed to charge for electricity again this quarter,” she said.
“This is a good move aimed at harnessing the sun so that power can be created where it’s being used, whether that’s in industrial estates in the city, or on our farms in the regions.”
The expansion of the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme was made by Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen last week during an address to the National Press Club in Canberra.