2015-10-06
My constituency question is for the Minister for Energy and Resources. I have been approached in relation to the proposed installation of solar panels on the roof of Box Hill North Primary School. This would reduce the school's power bills by 30 per cent, and assist with student curriculum in mathematics, science and sustainability, as well as reducing the school's consumption of energy, helping the environment. Recently the Essential Services Commission proposed to reduce the 2016 feed-in tariff by 20 per cent, meaning the school would get 1.2 cents less for every kilowatt hour pumped back into the grid. That has made the proposed installation non-viable by increasing the cost by $4000 per year. Will the minister assist the school to progress its solar installation — a cheaper, educational and more sustainable power system than it currently has — without being financially penalised?