| Jobs threat for solar firms kept in the dark - Uncertainty hits industry expansion |
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| Alternative Energy - Solar Power |
| Wednesday, 24 June 2009 15:16 |
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Age Thursday 18/6/2009 Page: 7  Solar panel retailers are preparing to cut jobs and halt expansion plans because of uncertainty over the Government"s solar credit program. Retailers contacted yesterday said they would have to collectively review the position of hundreds of staff in their call centres and administration because there is no guarantee the solar credits program will pass the Senate next week, delaying its process for at least two months.Replacing the $8000 rebate that was abruptly withdrawn last week, the credit program is part of the Government"s renewable energy target legislation currently before Parliament. The legislation has become embroiled in a political dogfight after the Government linked industry exemptions from the target to the passage of its emissions trading scheme, which is likely to be rejected by the Senate next week. Simon Schauble, chief executive of NuSolar, one of the nation"s largest solar retailers, said he would have to retrench 60 people if the passage of the bill remained uncertain. Mr Schauble added that he would halt recruitment plans for another hundred positions if the fate of the credits program remained in limbo. The biggest issue is it is stalling momentum in the industry," he said. "We had plans to put on hundreds of people over the next year but we have stopped that until we know what is going on." Paul Wilson, executive director of retailer Clear Solar, said if the legislation does not pass next week he would reconsider the positions of 80 employees. Chief executive of the Clean Energy Council Matt Warren said a quick survey of members yesterday revealed that solar retailers would shed hundreds of jobs across Victoria if the legislation is delayed. "The Government promised a smooth transition for the solar industry between the rebate and credits system, and the chances of that have now evaporated," he said. The Opposition was supportive of the renewable energy target legislation, which will mandate that 20% of electricity must cone from renewable energy by 2020, until it was revealed partial exemptions for trade-exposed industry would not be granted until the emissions trading scheme is passed. The Opposition will attempt to " decouple" the target and trading scheme with a Senate amendment but are split in the party room on whether to vote for the bill if that amendment fails. Opposition resources and energy spokesman Ian MacFarlane, and Nationals Senators Barnaby Joyce and Ron Boswell, are pushing hard to block the bill if it is not amended. Climate Change Minister Penny Wong yesterday said renewable energy target legislation contained a provision to backdate the solar credit program to any solar panel sold after the end of the rebate program last Monday. "The Government is committed to passing this legislation," she said. "We call on the Opposition to act responsibly and support the renewable energy target." It is understood the Government"s Senate schedule has listed the renewable legislation bill as "desirable" but not "urgent" to pass next week, which means it will sit behind other bills, including the emissions trading scheme, in order of priority.  |
A Solar Tower For Rotterdam Green building of the week from Inhabitat is this tower planned for Rotterdam - Monolab’s Soaring Solar Rotterdam Tower.Monolab is aiming to take solar power to extreme heights by designing their sky-high Rotterdam Tower with a skin of photovoltaic panels.... Read more Solar Power | | Friday, 26 June 2009 |
Solar panels for cooling deep-freezers[In partnership with VEI] Interest in the use of renewable energy sources for the local generation of electrical energy is increasing on a worldwide scale. This trend is also noticeable in Flanders. The total electrical energy generated by renewable sources... Read more Solar Power | | Thursday, 25 June 2009 |
Gloom and doom for solar firms AgeFriday 19/6/2009 Page: 6A HOUSEHOLD solar panels credits program will be delayed for at least two months after the Opposition voted to refer the Government"s renewable energy target legislation to a Senate committee. The delay could mean job cuts in... Read more Solar Power | | Wednesday, 24 June 2009 |
Jobs threat for solar firms kept in the dark - Uncertainty hits industry expansion AgeThursday 18/6/2009 Page: 7Solar panel retailers are preparing to cut jobs and halt expansion plans because of uncertainty over the Government"s solar credit program. Retailers contacted yesterday said they would have to collectively review the position of hundreds of staff... Read more Solar Power | | Wednesday, 24 June 2009 |
Solar has power to lower electricity bill www.dailyexaminer.com.au19th June 2009IF you"re finding it hard keeping up with changes to government rebates for solar energy systems, you"re not the only one. But here"s an easy explanation for you. Firstly, the Federal Government"s recent removal of the Solar for... Read more Solar Power | | Wednesday, 24 June 2009 |
Solar Millennium Inks Massive Solar Thermal Deals earth2tech.comJune 17thIf anyone doubts the ability of renewable portfolio standards to spur the adoption of clean energy projects, they should look to California. The state is requiring that electric utilities need to get 20% of their power from solar, wind... Read more Solar Power | | TUSEDAY, 23 June 2009 |
Why California Doesn’t Have a German-Style Solar Feed-In Tariff www.reuters.comJun 18, 2009It"s a question we hear all the time: Why doesn"t California have a German-style feed-in tariff for the solar industry? German utilities pay a high price for any solar electricity fed into the grid, with the cost distributed... Read more Solar Power | | TUSEDAY, 23 June 2009 |
Leading German companies join for north African solar project www.lowcarboneconomy.com17 June 2009Some of Germany"s largest commercial enterprises are joining forces to fund an ambitious scheme to provide Europe with electricity harnessed from solar panels in north Africa. Munich Re, Siemens, Deutsche Bank, RWE and E.ON are among the firms... Read more Solar Power | | TUSEDAY, 23 June 2009 |
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