Regulator pushing for more choice for solar customers
03 December 2019
The state’s economic regulator wants energy retailers to offer solar customers more choice when it comes to choosing how they’re compensated for energy they feed back into the grid.
The Essential Services Commission has released its draft decision for the 2020-21 minimum feed-in tariff with a proposal to make energy retailers offer both a time-varying as well as a single rate feed-in tariff from 1 July next year.
Energy Australia is currently the only energy retailer to offer a time-varying feed-in tariff.
Commission chairperson Kate Symons says the proposal supports giving customers the ability to choose a feed-in tariff that best suits their circumstances, regardless of which retailer they’re with.
“With a 46 per cent* increase in solar installations and a rapid uptake of batteries, we need a scheme that supports customer choice.
“Our recommendation would require all retailers to offer a choice between a time-varying tariff or the single-rate tariff,” she said.
Ms Symons says the commission is keen to hear from stakeholders before it makes its decision in the new year.
“This draft proposes a step forward in creating choice for Victorian customers by requiring retailers to offer time-varying feed-in tariffs and we want to hear from both households and retailers on what this means for them,” she said.
The proposed minimum single rate feed-in tariff for 2020–21 is 10 cents per kilowatt hour, while the minimum time-varying feed-in tariffs range from 9 cents per kilowatt hour off-peak to 12.3 cents per kilowatt hour in peak periods.
The commission has also released proposed changes to the state’s electricity distribution code. The proposed changes are aimed at ensuring Victoria’s energy grid supports the adoption of new technologies while maintaining key customer protections.
