New South Wales switches to gross Feed-in Tariff, includes small wind

The New South Wales Government has announced its new Solar Bonus Scheme, covering small wind turbines and replacing the previous net metered model with a gross Feed-in Tariff. Under the new scheme all electricity generated by wind or solar systems with rated capacity under 10 kW will earn a 60 c/kWh tariff, not just the excess power exported to the grid. The new Solar Bonus Scheme has extended coverage in NSW to small wind turbines up to 10 kW, a significant shift from solar-only incentives. The Solar Bonus Scheme will last for seven years, providing significant incentives for the small wind industry in the state.Read more about the NSW Government's Solar Bonus Scheme here.

The announcement makes NSW the second government in Australia to adopt a gross Feed-in Tariff, after ACT; all other states have announced or implemented net Feed-in Tariff schemes. The South Australian Government is currently reviewing its Solar Feed-In Scheme, which recently saw installed capacity of eligible solar PV systems reach 10 MW; one consideration is extending the tariff to include small wind turbines, a move which would be a major boon for the small wind industry in South Australia.