C-PREP Update September 2011
C-PREP, the solar panel retrofit program begun by the City of Victor Harbor in 2009 and continued by the Local Government in 2010 as the Solar Councils Program, continues to gain popularity. Currently fifteen meters daily are being fitted to solar panel installations - six days a week!
To understand this popularity and its economic ramifications, it helps to have expert opinion. I have added two such opinions to this site. The first is a recently published piece by Paddy Manning of the Melbourne Age (view  PDF 643 KB). Manning says that evidence is mounting that feed in tariffs are reducing energy demand. He further claims that this has led to the deferment of capital expenditure on infrastructure and lower electricity prices.
The second paper is by Dr Andrew Blakers of the Australian National University (view PDF 139 KB). Dr Blakers was the initial inspiration for the C-PREP program and this 2008 paper outlines all forms of renewable energy and how Australia might benefit from them. Manning's AGE article appears to confirm Blaker's conclusions.
In the July 2011 update energy costs per solar watt were reported at 89 cents. This figure should read 98 cents per solar watt. The price of a coal fired watt is approximately 4 cents per watt and rises to approximately 34 cents per watt when grid network costs are added. This is the delta that can gradually be bridged by solar panels.
C-PREP Update July 2011
SA politicians have decided that the solar feed in tariff will remain at 44 cents per kWh (one generator per taxpayer) for the next 18 years. The current scheme will be closed to new entrants from October 1st 2011.
Now that these directions are set (at least for the near term) it is time to look at the broader picture.
In 1971 the cost per watt of solar power was $100.00, in 1981 $10.00 per watt and in 2011, 89 cents per watt.
The cost per watt of coal generated power is approximately 36 cents. It is not difficult to see that ratepayers will soon access solar panels that are approaching the 36 cent cost.
Energy companies failure to invest in upgrading 70 year old infrastructure allowing for our expanding population, threatens energy supply. Simultaneously, electricity prices are doubling. Even if electricity use remained static, a fairly typical urban energy bill of $400 per quarter will be $800 a quarter sometime in 2015. At approximately $1,700 a year, householders may as well buy solar panels.
The major opportunity for ratepayers is the ability to generate their own power and reduce or negate their power bill. Power provided free by the sun is the taxpayer's to use or sell back into the grid.
When a group of ratepayers is enabled by bulk purchase to gain access to cheaper solar panels, then if the solar power generated by the group can be aggregated sufficiently enough to be sold back into the grid on a megawatt/time scale, then the traditional method of purchasing power from a remote utility at ever increasing prices will change.
The CSIRO calls this form of energy supply, Distributed Energy or DE. Their March 2010 Smart Grid Report says that DE will be worth $130B by 2050 and will be dominated by solar panels from 2015. Victor Harbor's (and Fleurieu) take up of solar panels indicates this will be so.
C-PREP's next goal is to investigate the feasibility of a COOP energy company owned and operated by ratepayers aimed at ushering in an era of "peer to peer" power sharing via a smart grid. The City of Victor Harbor has won a $20k grant to investigate demand side usage across the Fleurieu.
C-PREP Update May 2011
Regional Australia signs up for solar energy
Victor Harbor ranks 3rd in the nation in a survey of postcodes with the highest percentage of household solar installations. Hindmarsh Island / Goolwa ranks 8th.
Mr Matthew Warren, Chief Executive of the Clean Energy Council, the peak body for more than 500 renewable energy companies, said the data showed how popular solar energy is in regional Australia.
“These new figures show clearly that Australia’s switch to renewable energy is even more popular in regional Australia than it is in the city.”
Click here for the full .
C-PREP Update February 2011
Victor Harbor is now assisting the Local Government Association's (LGA) roll-out of solar panels across the peninsula. The scheme titled Solar Councils Community Program gives ratepayers access to a range of solar panels (PVPs) at reduced prices. It is based on Victor Harbors C-PREP retrofit, the results of which can be seen (PDF 340 KB).
The LGA have appointed ZEN to operate the program and all ratepayers will soon receive a letter advising them of information sessions, PVP set sizes and pricing. The letter is reproduced below.
17 February 2011
Re: Lower your energy bills and your carbon footprint
Dear Ratepayer,
The Local Government Association of South Australia, (LGA) has initiated a solar panel purchase scheme. Called the
South Australia's Solar Councils Community Program. It now includes Victor Harbor and offers you the
opportunity to purchase solar panels under the scheme.
In 2009 The City of Victor Harbor initiated a solar panel purchase plan - Community Program for the Purchase of
Renewable Energy or C-PREP, based on the 2009 Federal solar panel rebate plan.
Some 700 Victor Harbor residents and a further 300 or more in adjacent councils gained access to a fully guarantied
basic set of solar panels at markedly reduced prices. The program’s full economic and ecological results can be seen .
The LGA, on evaluating C-PREP’s benefits, has initiated this ongoing solar panel program to enable ratepayers
further opportunity to reduce electric power bills and lower the area’s carbon footprint.
Council will be holding information sessions where ZEN, the company endorsed to roll out the program will present
options available to you. The information sessions, located in Council Chambers in the Civic Centre will be held on
the following dates:
Thursday March 3rd from 3.00pm through to 7.00pm
Tuesday March 15th from 3.00pm through to 7.00pm
Friday April 1st from 12.00noon to 2.00pm (Business Session)
Wednesday May 4th from 3.00pm through to 7.00pm.
Don’t forget, you can also see all things solar and water conservation oriented on April 2nd and 3rd @ Energy
Fair, Warland Reserve 12.00noon to 4.00pm Saturday and 10.00am to 4.00pm Sunday .
I am delighted that the LGA has enabled this broader reach so that additional ratepayers might enjoy a reduction in
energy bills and the ecological benefits that accrue to us all.
Yours faithfully,
Graham Philp
Mayor
C-PREP Update September 2010
State Government Raises PVP feed in tariff
to 54cents per kWh
The City of Victor Harbor’s first bulk retrofit of solar panels, C-PREP is now complete. Over 700 ratepayers across four Fleurieu councils installed minimum solar panel sets of 1.05kWh (6-8 panels) with many taking the opportunity to install much larger systems.
A further 1,000 ratepayers in other councils as far afield as Barossa and Light also joined the program just before the Federal Government ended it three weeks prematurely in June 2009. While C-PREP involved approximately 1,800 ratepayers all told, this site concentrates on the Fleurieu and KI areas.
The Fleurieu and KI now save at least 1,584 tons of carbon gas annually. This number more than doubles when C-PREP installations in other councils are added. Most installations save ratepayers at least a quarter on their energy bills and in many instances generate income from the state net feed-in tariff of 44cents per kWh. This tariff was raised to 54cents per kWh in August 2010. Some energy distributors pay a few cents more so check with your energy supplier. The list of economic benefits can be seen in detail under the Economic Results heading.
So successful has the program been that the Local Government Authority (LGA) launched a similar program in May this year acknowledging Victor Harbor's C-PREP as the model. The LGA program will run for one year across six metropolitan councils.
The Regional Development Authority (RDA) has approached the City of Victor Harbor with the view to running a second solar retrofit program. The RDA's initial work may also see a "smart energy" project get under way on Kangaroo Island.
C-PREP Update July 2010
The City of Victor Harbor’s first bulk retrofit of solar panels, C-PREP is now complete. Some 800 ratepayers across four Fleurieu councils installed minimum solar panel sets of 1.05kWh (6-8 panels) with many taking the opportunity to install much larger systems.
A further 1,000 ratepayers in other councils as far afield as Barossa and Light also joined the program just before the Federal Government ended it three weeks prematurely in June 2009. While C-PREP involved approximately 1,800 ratepayers all told, this site concentrates on the Fleurieu and KI areas.
The Fleurieu and KI now save at least 1,700 tons of carbon gas annually. This number more than doubles when C-PREP installations in other councils are added. Most installations save ratepayers at least a quarter on their energy bills and in many instances generate income from the state net feed-in tariff of 44cents per kWh. The list of economic benefits can be seen in detail under the Economic Results heading.
So successful has the program been that the Local Government Authority (LGA) launched a similar program in May this year acknowledging Victor Harbor's C-PREP as the model. The LGA program will run for one year across six metropolitan councils.
The Regional Development Authority (RDA) has approached the City of Victor Harbor with the view to running a second solar retrofit program. The RDA's initial work may also see a "smart energy" project get under way on Kangaroo Island.
C-PREP Update 17.02.2010
All the final registration fee invoices of $75.00 have been sent out to those ratepayers who signed up under the C-PREP program. There will be a few people who did not proceed or went with other suppliers, so if there is any ambiguity please ring Roy at the Council on 8551 0558.
The registration fee is dedicated to the ongoing renewable energy research and development with the University of Adelaide. An update of progress can be seen under C-PREP Ongoing R&D .
C-PREP Update 6.11.2009
The Local Government Authority (LGA) has taken a firm interest in Victor Harbor's C-PREP solar panel retrofit program. So much so they have organized a one day forum for all SA Councils to be held on November 26th 2009.
The day long event will feature how councils and their ratepayers can lower energy bills and simultaneously reduce their carbon footprint.
Experts in solar, wind and bio energy methods will outline the best available options while those that have initiated such programs will cover job and product creation in this new power industry.
Roy Ramage
Economic Development Officer
City of Victor Harbor
P 8551 0558 | M 0448 760 005
For further information ratepayers can call Roy Ramage on 8551 0558 or email on
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