And a solar energy advocate is saying today that those of us who don’t should be getting financial support from the Government.
Mike Casey says New Zealand is one of the few western countries that doesn’t provide subsidies for solar energy. He says, in Australia, people can get subsidies to convert to solar and - guess what - more of them have. Way more.
I think this is brilliant thinking - but not necessarily a brilliant idea. Because, if we could do all that magic wand stuff - which we can’t - but if we could, I’d say yep - Government subsidies for anyone and everyone.
But there’s no magic wand and so we can’t. So I reckon there should be Government support to get solar into all new builds.
I was talking to someone who, as they put it, went down the solar panel rabbit hole - in that they looked into it. But they just came to the same conclusion that I think most of us have - and still do - and that’s that the numbers just don’t stack up.
You can spend the money getting the panels on the roof, but it’ll take you years before the savings in electricity costs justify the spend.
But getting more and more people onto solar energy is a much more realistic way for the Government - and I’m not just talking about the current Government, but all Governments - it’s a much more realistic way of trying to get those power costs down.
Because what other options are there? The Government of the day can thump the table and tell the power companies to stop ripping us off.
But that’s rarely worked with the supermarkets. So as if thumping the table is going to work with the power companies.
The other option up the Government’s sleeve is restructuring the electricity market. But when do you think we’re going to see that happen?
I was reading a history of New Zealand’s electricity reforms back in the 80s and 90s and it took about four years for those reforms to happen. So any changes the Government wants to make to the current electricity market is going to take a fair amount of time, isn’t it?
So, if it wants to, the Government can do that. But I think it needs to be looking for some quick-wins at the same time. And subsidised solar conversion would be a quick win. Because, like anything in life, if you focus on the things you can actually influence - then that’s when you start to make progress.
And providing taxpayer support to get solar power happening more widely, then that would be something the Government could make happen as soon as it wanted to.
There are about two million occupied homes in New Zealand and around 60,000 of them have solar panels.
It took New Zealand more than seven years to get 30,000 houses with solar. The other 30,000 took three years. And so now we’ve got 60,000. Which is about 3 percent of houses connected to the national grid.
Compare that to Australia, which heavily subsidised solar, simplified the installation process, and invested in workforce training for installers and the general figure is about 35 percent (compared to our 3 percent).
In many neighbourhoods in Australia, though, 50 percent of houses have solar panels. In some, as many as 80 percent. Thanks to government subsidies.
Which our Government could bring in today, if it wanted to.
John MacDonald is the Canterbury Mornings host on Newstalk ZB Christchurch. - where this article was sourced.
But there’s no magic wand and so we can’t. So I reckon there should be Government support to get solar into all new builds.
I was talking to someone who, as they put it, went down the solar panel rabbit hole - in that they looked into it. But they just came to the same conclusion that I think most of us have - and still do - and that’s that the numbers just don’t stack up.
You can spend the money getting the panels on the roof, but it’ll take you years before the savings in electricity costs justify the spend.
But getting more and more people onto solar energy is a much more realistic way for the Government - and I’m not just talking about the current Government, but all Governments - it’s a much more realistic way of trying to get those power costs down.
Because what other options are there? The Government of the day can thump the table and tell the power companies to stop ripping us off.
But that’s rarely worked with the supermarkets. So as if thumping the table is going to work with the power companies.
The other option up the Government’s sleeve is restructuring the electricity market. But when do you think we’re going to see that happen?
I was reading a history of New Zealand’s electricity reforms back in the 80s and 90s and it took about four years for those reforms to happen. So any changes the Government wants to make to the current electricity market is going to take a fair amount of time, isn’t it?
So, if it wants to, the Government can do that. But I think it needs to be looking for some quick-wins at the same time. And subsidised solar conversion would be a quick win. Because, like anything in life, if you focus on the things you can actually influence - then that’s when you start to make progress.
And providing taxpayer support to get solar power happening more widely, then that would be something the Government could make happen as soon as it wanted to.
There are about two million occupied homes in New Zealand and around 60,000 of them have solar panels.
It took New Zealand more than seven years to get 30,000 houses with solar. The other 30,000 took three years. And so now we’ve got 60,000. Which is about 3 percent of houses connected to the national grid.
Compare that to Australia, which heavily subsidised solar, simplified the installation process, and invested in workforce training for installers and the general figure is about 35 percent (compared to our 3 percent).
In many neighbourhoods in Australia, though, 50 percent of houses have solar panels. In some, as many as 80 percent. Thanks to government subsidies.
Which our Government could bring in today, if it wanted to.
John MacDonald is the Canterbury Mornings host on Newstalk ZB Christchurch. - where this article was sourced.
11 comments:
When it comes to energy/electricity production/supply comparing Australia to New Zealand is the same as comparing Apples to Oranges. The two are not and can never be the same......
Solar in Australia is usually better.
Additionally the domestic solar increases the cost to other users because it lowers average usage of plant but does not reduce the quantity needed as such industry gets hit, is that good.
With respect John, please use the word "taxpayer" when referencing "government" subsidies.
Just to clarify where the money actually comes from.
And how much energy (oil, gas, etc) are you going to use to dig up the trillions of cubic meters of the earth to extract the rare earths needed for the sola panels ? And then one has to reinstate the ground, at what cost ? And what do you do with the panels when they become ineffective ? Dig another bloody great hole to bury them: at what cost ?
When we returned to NZ, we found it hard to believe there was no subsidy for solar. Its a no brainer. We crunched the numbers and did it anyway, and the numbers do stack up. It takes at least 7 years to recoup costs, but panels last about 25 years. So the greenies should be pressuring the government.
The waste is a hazard. It's not 'green'
Unearthing the materials is expensive and they're a limited resource.
Why should this come out of the taxpayers pocket? It a big resounding no from me.
Plus they look hideous. Exactly the same problems with wind turbines.
Widespread deployment of solar panels is just creating future environmental issues. Why not put an asbestos roof on your house instead? While it has similarities with solar panels in respect of handling at end-of-life it surely lasts longer!
just another green scam like heat pumps which last 10 years max, are notoriously difficult to obtain parts for when they need repair, and are unbale to be recycled so end up in landfills.
It's just nuts putting solar panels on a roof. It would be extremely rare that the roof and pitch are ideal for sun .
How do you service the roof under the panels ?
The electronic power converters are a fire hazard, and as for lithium batteries - watch your house insurance bill rocket !
Locating them closer to the sun is stupid - they will work just the same at ground level, preferably on a frame oriented correctly.
Same as the dopey installers who mount satellite dishes at the highest point - ground level is fine.
Ugly panels devalue a building.
I installed solar panels years ago at my own expense. Works for me! I am laughing all the way to the Bank....I do assure you!
Mixed thoughts on this one - fly over any city and notice the amount of industrial roof space, largely un-utilised for power generation or water collection. There are exceptions of course, but in general not much is being done.
However I am also aware that most solar panels come from China, mining's involved naturally, and once worn out are they recycled? I don't believe so. Water collection is low tech, cheap to install, and is logical (less demand on reservoirs, plus mitigating risk as well as being less wasteful of a resource).
As for the giant windmills - massive mining and construction involvement, including oil, grease and plastic, maintenance requirements, migratory animal disruption, zero recycling (knackered ones are cut up and buried - toxic waste). Sigh.
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