Application audits
The Office of Energy is carrying out audits of statutory declarations and system installations.
Find out more
On 1 August 2011, the Western Australian residential net feed-in tariff scheme was suspended for new applications after exceeding the scheme capacity cap of 150 megawatts.
The State Government accepted applications from customers who can demonstrate they have made a contractual commitment to purchase a renewable energy system prior to 8.00am on 1 August 2011.
Customers who wished to apply for the net feed-in tariff were required to submit the following documents to their electricity retailer (Synergy or Horizon Power) by 5.00pm on 14 October 2011:
- their complete and correct Net Feed-in Tariff Scheme – Committed Customer Application form
- their complete and correct Statutory Declarations form and
- their complete and correct Renewable Energy Buyback Scheme Application form.
To submit a Committed Customer application:
Committed Customers and tariff rates
Customers will be assessed for the 40 c/kWh or 20 c/kWh feed-in tariff rate depending on the date on which the contractual commitment to purchase a renewable energy system was made.
The following feed-in tariff rates and installation deadlines apply to Committed Customer applicants:
Date of contractual commitment* |
Feed-in tariff rate (cents/kWh) |
Installation deadline |
Prior to 19 May 2011 |
40 |
None |
From 19 May to 30 June 2011 (inclusive) |
40 |
30 September 2011 |
From 1 July to 8:00am 1 August 2011 (inclusive) |
20 |
None |
* The feed-in tariff rates and the installation deadlines in the above table are based on the date of contractual commitment. Any changes in the contract or supplier made after the scheme suspension will render these customers ineligible for the feed-in tariff.
The statutory declaration must be completed by both the applicant/purchaser and the supplier of the renewable energy system declaring that the system has been purchased prior to 8.00am on 1 August 2011.
Claims made in the statutory declaration will be audited by the Office of Energy. Customers selected for an audit will be required, together with their supplier, to provide evidence of the contractual commitment as outlined in the statutory declaration.
The Western Australian residential net feed-in tariff scheme offers a subsidy to help shorten the time it takes people to recover the purchase cost of their renewable energy systems.
The subsidy provides people with the capacity to generate their own clean electricity and reduce electricity costs.
Successful applicants will receive the subsidy for 10 years*. The amount received depends on how many units of electricity are fed into the electricity grid from the renewable energy system.
Payments are made as a credit on the electricity account. If the bill is in credit by more than $100 a cheque can be requested.
This subsidy is not payment for the electricity itself. An additional payment is made by Synergy or Horizon Power for any renewable energy fed into the electricity grid. This payment – made under the Renewable Energy Buyback Scheme – continues for as long as renewable-based electricity is exported to the grid.
The feed-in tariff scheme and the Renewable Energy Buyback Scheme are administered by Synergy and Horizon Power.
*If the property with the renewable energy system is sold or leased within the 10-year period, payments will transfer to the new owners or tenants if they are eligible.
Feed-in tariff rates for existing customers
The feed-in tariff scheme provides the following subsidy rates, for excess renewable energy fed into the grid:
* One unit equals one kilowatt hour (kWh)
** Customers that applied between 19 May and 30 June 2011 must have their systems installed and connected to the electricity grid by 30 September 2011. If the system is not installed by 30 September 2011, the applicant will receive the 20c/kWh rate. Customers that have made a contractual commitment prior to 19 May 2011 do not have an installation deadline. However, these customers cannot change their contract or supplier. Any changes in the contract or supplier made after the scheme suspension will render these customers ineligible for the feed-in tariff.
Electricity concessions
There are four consumption-based concessions available to eligible concession holders to help pay for the cost of their electricity consumption. To find out details of each concession and check if you are eligible, follow the links below.
Feed-in tariff and REBS customers
Current conditions
Feed-in tariff and/or REBS customers may still be eligible for the concessions above. If so, certain conditions apply.
- If your feed-in tariff and/or REBS payments cover:
- the full amount of your electricity bill, you will not receive additional concession payments or a credit
- some of your electricity bill, you will receive concession payments to cover the remaining amount (but no credit).
- If there is no charge for electricity used, you will not receive a credit.
Review of conditions
The Office of Energy is currently reviewing the conditions of state government energy concessions and rebates. Current conditions will apply until this review is complete.
For more information about the review process, see Tariff and Concessions Framework Review.
Western Power has advised that there will be delays in the change of meters due to supply constraints driven by national demand. As a result of this delay, if meters are not changed by 30 September 2011 applicants will not be penalised. They will still be eligible for the 40 c/kWh feed-in tariff rate.
Applicants should however note that their systems (panels and inverters) must still be installed by 30 September 2011.
On 19 May, the Western Australian Government announced changes to the residential net feed-in tariff scheme following a review by the Office of Energy.
A new rate of 20 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) was introduced applicable to all applications received from 1 July 2011. As with the original scheme, system owners will receive payments for 10 years.
Taking into account the new rate and the recent change in the Federal Government’s Solar Credits program, the Office of Energy forecasts that most residents will be able to pay off their renewable energy systems well within the 10-year payment period, as originally intended.
The State Government also announced that the scheme will close when the total capacity of renewable energy systems installed under the feed-in tariff scheme reaches 150 megawatts (MW). The scheme capacity cap is based on the maximum inverter capacity.
Frequently asked questions
Phone: (08) 9420 5600
Email: fit@energy.wa.gov.au
(updated 5 October 2011)
