Amendments to the solar feed-in scheme from 1 February 2013
The following amendments commenced on 1 February 2013.
Dominant Purpose
The definition of an ‘excluded generator’ has been amended so that if there are two or more meters measuring consumption on a site, then SA Power Networks must take into account the electricity consumption of the site as a whole when enforcing the provision excluding solar systems installed for the dominant purpose of feeding-in to the grid.
Upgrades
Solar customers who received approval from SA Power Networks for an upgrade prior to 1 October 2011 will be permitted to carry out and complete that upgrade before 1 October 2013 to remain in the feed-in scheme, however, they will only be entitled to receive 16c/kWh for future electricity fed into the grid for the whole of their system until 2016, subject to the other eligibility criteria including the daily export limitation of 45kWh/day.
On this page:
What is the solar feed-in scheme and who is eligible to join?
How do I join the solar feed-in scheme?
What am I eligible to receive? Minimum retailer payment
Increasing the capacity of your solar PV system and upgrades
Replacing panels, inverters and other components of a solar PV system in the feed-in scheme
Building a new house at an address with the solar feed-in scheme
Moving house - can I still receive my existing solar feed-in payments at my new address?
Changing energy provider - can I still receive solar feed in payments?
What is the solar feed-in scheme and who is eligible to join?
If you install a solar PV system, you may be eligible to receive payment for any electricity you export back to the grid.
The scheme is open to electricity customers that consume less than 160MWh per annum (defined as small customers), including households, small businesses, community buildings and churches. The average household uses less than 10MWh per annum.
You will also need to have, or be planning to install, a qualifying solar PV system. To qualify the final installed solar PV system needs to:
- Comply with the relevant Australian Standards for safety. All accredited installers will comply with these requirements.
- Be connected to the electricity grid via an import/export meter - SA Power Networks (formerly ETSA Utilities) will install these on request.
- Have a maximum output of 10kVA for homes with single phase, 30 kVA for homes with three phase electricity. Most large home solar PV systems would be less than 10kVA, but if you are unsure check with your solar installer.
The feed-in tariff you may be eligible to receive depends on the date SA Power Networks approved permission to connect your solar PV system to the grid, and in some cases the dates your system and import/export meter are installed. For more information see What am I eligible to receive?
The solar feed-in scheme commenced on 1 July 2008. It was reviewed in 2009-10 and amendments to the legislation took effect from 29 July 2011. For more information see the Legislation SA website to view the:
[top of page]
How do I join the solar feed-in scheme?
- Check you are eligible - see What is the solar feed in scheme and who is eligible to join?
- Find a reputable solar installation company that uses installers accredited by the Clean Energy Council - see Installing a solar PV system.
- Your chosen installer will submit the Application for PV SEG (Small Embedded Generator) Approval Reference form to SA Power Networks to seek permission to connect.
- Once approved by SA Power Networks, your solar system can be installed and your installer will send a request to your electricity retailer, who will book the installation of an import/export meter with SA Power Networks. In some cases your meter may be installed before your system.
- Once your solar PV system and import/export meter are fully installed and connected you will start to see solar feed-in payments on your electricity bill for any electricity you have exported to the grid.
[top of page]
What am I eligible to receive?
The amount of solar feed-in tariff you may be eligible to receive will depend on whether you have met the eligibility criteria for the scheme and if so, the date SA Power Networks approves permission to connect your solar PV system to the grid.
Once you know this date you can determine which customer group of the solar feed-in scheme relates to you.
SA Power Networks approval for permission to connect a Small Embedded Generator (SEG)
Your solar installer will normally request permission to connect on your behalf by submitting the Application for PV SEG (Small Embedded Generator) Approval Reference form to SA Power Networks.
The form also specifies the peak capacity of the solar PV system you wish to connect to the electricity grid.
If you have any queries about your application for solar PV SEG permission to connect, including whether it has been approved, the date it was approved or the peak capacity approved, contact SA Power Networks on 1300 665 913 or SEG@sapowernetworks.com.au.
To see a copy of the Application for PV SEG Approval Reference form or for more information about Small Embedded Generation see the Small Embedded Generator User Guide on the SA Power Networks website.
Feed-in scheme customer groups
Customer group 1 - Approved permission to connect received by 31 August 2010, and;
- solar PV system fully installed by 29 January 2012.
Customer group 2 - Approved permission to connect received between 1 September 2010 and 30 September 2011, and;
- solar PV system fully installed and connected by 30 September 2011.
Customer group 3 - Approved permission to connect received between 1 September 2010 and 30 September 2011, and;
- booking made with SA Power Networks for the installation of an import/export meter within 120 days of 1 October 2011.
Customer group 4 - Approved permission to connect received between 1 October 2011 and 30 September 2013.
Customer group 5 - Approved permission to connect received after 30 September 2013.
Customer group 1
Approved permission to connect received by 31 August 2010, and;
System fully installed and connected by 29 January 2012.
Approved permission to connect received up to or on | 31 August 2010 |
Solar system fully installed including import/export meter by or on | 29 January 2012 |
Feed-in tariff offered | 44 cents per kWh exported to the grid, until 30 June 2028
You may also receive a minimum retailer payment from your electricity retailer |
Increasing the capacity of your system | You can install panels up to the peak capacity approved by SA Power Networks on your original request for permission to connect at any time up until 30 June 2028.
If you wish to install beyond the original peak capacity approved by SA Power Networks this is described as an upgrade.
Upgrades completed between 1 September 2010 and 30 September 2011 will have changed your eligibility to Customer group 2 - see below.
If you received approval from SA Power Networks for an upgrade prior to 1 October 2011 and complete the upgrade by 30 September 2013 your eligibility will change to Customer group 4.
Any upgrades completed after 30 September 2011 which were not approved prior to 1 October 2011 will result in the solar system being permanently excluded from the solar feed-in scheme and unable to receive any feed-in tariff.
If you are unsure if SA Power Networks has approved your permission to connect, or would like to check your original approved peak capacity and date of approval contact SA Power Networks on 1300 665 913 or SEG@sapowernetworks.com.au. |
[top of page]
Customer group 2
Approved permission to connect received between 1 September 2010 and 30 September 2011, and;
solar system fully installed by 30 September 2011.
Approved permission to connect received between | 1 September 2010 and 30 September 2011 |
Solar system fully installed including import/export meter up to or on | 30 September 2011 |
Feed-in tariff offered | 44 cents per kWh exported to the grid until 30 June 2028
You may also receive a minimum retailer payment from your electricity retailer |
Conditions | 1. Feed-in tariff payment is limited to the first 45kWh exported to the grid each day
2. A solar customer is only eligible to received the feed-in tariff in respect of one solar system
3. The solar PV system must not be installed for the dominant purpose of feeding-in to the grid, so systems should be installed at locations where you normally use the most electricity. |
Increasing the capacity of your system | You can install panels up to the peak capacity approved by SA Power Networks on your original request for permission to connect at any time up until 30 June 2028.
If you wish to install beyond the original peak capacity approved by SA Power Networks this is described as an upgrade.
Upgrades to the system must be fully installed and connected by 30 September 2011 to remain in this customer group.
If you received approval from SA Power Networks for an upgrade prior to 1 October 2011 and complete the upgrade by 30 September 2013 your eligibility will change to Customer group 4.
Any upgrades completed after 30 September 2011 which were not approved prior to 1 October 2011 will result in the solar system being permanently excluded from the solar feed-in scheme and unable to receive any feed-in tariff.
If you are unsure if SA Power Networks has approved your permission to connect, or would like to check your original approved peak capacity and date of approval contact SA Power Networks on 1300 665 913 or SEG@sapowernetworks.com.au. |
[top of page]
Customer group 3
Approved permission to connect received between 1 September 2010 and 30 September 2011, and;
booking made with SA Power Networks for the installation of an import/export meter within 120 days of 1 October 2011.
Approved permission to connect received between | Between 1 September 2010 and 30 September 2011 |
Booking made with SA Power Networks for the installation of an import/export meter | You must have made a booking with SA Power Networks within 120 days of 1 October 2011 to have an import/export meter installed.
Only the booking needed to be made within the 120 days, the meter did not need be fully installed before the end of this period for you to be eligible. |
Feed in tariff offered | 44 cents per kWh exported to the grid until 30 June 2028
You may also receive a minimum retailer payment from your electricity retailer. |
Conditions | 1. Feed-in tariff payment is limited to the first 45kWh exported to the grid each day
2. A solar customer customer is only eligible to receive the feed-in tariff in respect of one solar system
3. The solar PV system must not be installed for the dominant purpose of feeding-in to the grid, so systems should be installed at locations where you normally use the most electricity. |
Increasing the capacity of your system | You can install panels up to the peak capacity approved by SA Power Networks on your original request for permission to connect at any time up until 30 June 2028.
If you wish to install beyond the original peak capacity approved by SA Power Networks this is described as an upgrade.
If you received approval from SA Power Networks for an upgrade prior to 1 October 2011 and complete the upgrade by 30 September 2013 your eligibility will change to Customer group 4.
Any upgrades completed after 30 September 2011 which were not approved prior to 1 October 2011 will result in the solar system being permanently excluded from the solar feed-in scheme and unable to receive any feed-in tariff.
If you are unsure if SA Power Networks has approved your permission to connect, or would like to check your original approved peak capacity and date of approval contact SA Power Networks on 1300 665 913 or SEG@sapowernetworks.com.au. |
[top of page]
Customer group 4
Approved permission to connect received between 1 October 2011 and 30 September 2013
Approved permission to connect received between | 1 October 2011 and 30 September 2013 |
System either installed and connected or booking made with SA Power Networks for the installation of an import/export meter | The latest date you can make a booking with SA Power Networks to have your import/export meter installed is within 120 days of 1 October 2013.
However, you can install and connect your solar PV system at any time between receiving approval to connect and the meter booking cut off date above.
|
Feed in tariff offered | 16 cents per kWh exported to the grid until 30 September 2016
You may also receive a minimum retailer payment from your electricity retailer. |
Conditions | 1. Feed-in tariff payment is limited to the first 45kWh exported to the grid each day
2. A solar customer is only eligible to receive the feed-in tariff in respect of one solar system
3. The solar PV system must not be installed for the dominant purpose of feeding-in to the grid, so systems should be installed at locations where you normally use the most electricity. |
Increasing the capacity of your system | You can install panels up to the peak capacity approved by SA Power Networks on your original request for permission to connect at any time up until the 30 September 2016.
If you wish to install beyond the original peak capacity approved by SA Power Networks this is described as an upgrade.
Any upgrades will result in the solar system being permanently excluded from the solar feed-in scheme and unable to receive any feed-in tariff.
If you are unsure if SA Power Networks has approved your permission to connect, or would like to check your original approved peak capacity and date of approval contact SA Power Networks on 1300 665 913 or SEG@sapowernetworks.com.au. |
[top of page]
Customer group 5
Approved permission to connect received after 30 September 2013
Approved permission to connect received after | 30 September 2013 |
Feed in tariff offered | No feed-in tariff offered but you will be eligible to receive a minimum retailer payment from your electricity retailer |
[top of page]
Minimum retailer payment
All customers that consume less than 160MWh per annum with a solar system up to 10 kVA (single phase) or 30 kVA (three phase) that are eligible for the solar feed-in scheme will also be eligible for a minimum payment from their electricity retailer for any excess electricity they export to the grid, regardless of whether they receive a 44 cents per kWh feed-in tariff, 16 cents per kWh feed-in tariff or no feed-in tariff.
The minimum retailer payment, which is credited on solar customers’ electricity bills when they generate more electricity than they use, reflects the fair and reasonable value of fed-in electricity to electricity retailers.
The Essential Services Commission of South Australia (ESCOSA) released its Final Price Determination for the solar minimum retailer payment to apply from 27 January 2012 to 30 June 2014, as follows:
| Minimum Retailer Payment (nominal cents per kWh and GST exclusive) |
2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014 onwards |
27 Jan 2012 to 30 June 2012 | 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2013 | 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2014 | From 1 July 2014 |
7.1c/kWh | 9.8c/kWh | 11.2c/kWh | To be determined by ESCOSA |
All electricity retailers who contract with solar customers are required to provide at least this minimum retailer payment to solar customers but may choose to credit a higher amount.
Customers will receive this payment in addition to any feed-in tariff received. The 45kWh per day export limit which is applied to some feed-in tariff groups is not applied to the minimum retailer payment.
[top of page]
Increasing the capacity of your solar PV system and upgrades
When SA Power Networks approves permission to connect a solar PV system to the grid, the peak capacity of the system being approved is recorded.
If you are unsure of the approved peak capacity of your system - check with SA Power Networks on 1300 665 913 or SEG@sapowernetworks.com.au.
Installing up to your SA Power Networks approved peak capacity
Whichever customer group you are in, you can install panels up to the peak capacity approved by SA Power Networks on your original request for permission to connect at any time for the duration of your scheme, without affecting the feed-in tariff you receive.
Installing over your SA Power Networks approved peak capacity – upgrading your system
If you install additional capacity, beyond the peak capacity originally approved by SA Power Networks, this is described as an upgrade to your system.
Depending on which customer group you are in, upgrading your system could change the amount you receive, or result in your whole solar PV system being excluded from the solar feed-in scheme and unable to receive a feed-in tariff.
For details about your specific circumstances see feed-in scheme customer groups.
Why could I lose my solar feed-in tariff if my solar PV system is upgraded?
The solar feed-in scheme was introduced on 1 July 2008 with the purpose of helping small electricity customers offset the costs of their use, as well as encouraging the use of renewable energy.
When the scheme was amended in June 2011, the government focussed on ensuring it would be available to as many customers as possible, while limiting the costs associated with the scheme.
To do this it is necessary to limit the amount each customer can benefit from the scheme, so conditions were introduced to:
- exclude systems operating for the dominant purpose of feeding-in to the grid
- cap the amount that can be exported to the grid per day
- to impose a limit of one eligible system per customer
- restrict upgrades.
[top of page]
Replacing panels, inverters and other components of a solar PV system in the solar feed-in scheme
When SA Power Networks approves permission to connect for a solar PV system, the peak capacity of the system being approved is recorded and this is the capacity you are eligible to receive feed-in payments for.
If you are unsure what the approved peak capacity of your system is
check with SA Power Networks on 1300 665 913 or
SEG@sapowernetworks.com.au.
You are free to replace your panels, inverter or other component of your system as long as you stay within your approved peak capacity.
If you wish to increase the capacity of your system above your approved peak capacity this is described as an upgrade - see
Increasing the capacity of your PV system and upgrades.
[top of page]
Building a new house at an address with the solar feed-in scheme
If you demolish and build a new home at an address that has SA Power Networks approved permission to connect, so long as you reconnect your system at the same point and do not exceed your original peak capacity approved by SA Power Networks you will receive the same feed-in tariff.
If you are changing or replacing your meter, or if you want to increase your capacity
check with SA Power Networks to see how this may affect your eligibility.
[top of page]
Moving house - can I still receive my existing solar feed-in payments at my new address?
You cannot move the solar feed-in tariff you receive to your new address. When you move the tariff will become available to the new occupant of your former address, up to the original SA Power Networks approved peak capacity and assuming they meet the eligibility criteria.
If you move to another address with an existing feed-in eligible solar system, you may be eligible to receive the feed-in tariff applying to the solar system at your new address. To enquire about your eligibility for the feed-in tariff of your new address contact SA Power Networks.
[top of page]
Changing energy provider - can I still receive my existing solar feed-in payments?
If you are planning to change energy providers, you should first check that your new provider knows that you are a solar feed-in tariff customer and is willing to accept you as a customer.
As long as your new provider has agreed, you will continue to receive your feed-in tariff payments.
More information
For specific enquiries about your eligibility for the solar feed-in scheme including defining if your scheme is operating for the dominant purpose of feeding-in to the grid, enquiries about your approval to connect or peak capacity, contact SA Power Networks on 1300 665 913 or SEG@sapowernetworks.com.au.
For further general enquiries about the solar feed-in scheme contact the Energy Advisory Service.