Wednesday, 17 December, 2014 - 12:05

Green Party MP Gareth Hughes will be launching a petition calling on the Government to empower the Electricity Authority to act as an independent umpire to set fair, reasonable buy-back rates for solar power generation. A fair buy-back price will give New Zealand households and businesses looking to install solar panels on their roofs the certainty they need to invest and achieve greater energy independence.

"We can support clean solar energy without subsidies by simply empowering the Electricity Authority to set a fair and reasonable buy-back rate," said Green Party energy spokesperson Gareth Hughes.

"Small-scale solar is growing fast, up a phenomenal 330 percent over the last two years, however recent changes made to the buy-back rate by Meridian and Contact Energy, has the potential to stop this fast-growing sector in its tracks by increasing uncertainty for small-scale solar generators.

"It is hard for prospective solar investors to plan ahead and invest thousands of dollars on solar panels when the power companies can and have changed the buy-back terms with only thirty days’ notice.

"Establishing an independent umpire to set a fair buy-back price would assist the thousands of Kiwis wanting to go solar, making it easier for families to generate their own clean power and to receive a certain price for it," said Mr Hughes.