Question Time

Solar Energy

The Hon. M.C. PARNELL (14:27): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment a question about investment in solar energy.

Leave granted.

The Hon. M.C. PARNELL: According to recent figures released by solar industry statistician SunWiz, the South Australian rooftop solar market fell by more than one-third in April from 16 megawatts to 10.8 megawatts, with some solar retailers suffering big falls in orders and installations. According to respected energy industry analyst Giles Parkinson, writing today in the online newsletter One Step Off the Grid:

The South Australian solar market has suffered a dramatic downturn since the state poll in mid-March, with analysts and solar retailers blaming the policy uncertainty since the election of the Steve Marshall-led Liberal government.

The director of SunWiz, Warwick Johnston, said:

We are hearing reports of sales volumes dropping considerably as people wait for the new South Australian government's solar and storage policy to be implemented.

According to Giles Parkinson:

…confusion over the new government's intentions have hit the market since Marshall said a day after the poll that he had no interest in pursuing the 260MW virtual power plant proposed by Tesla, which would provide solar and storage to 50,000 low income households.

He also notes in his article that government officials admitted that it was likely that consumers were holding fire while waiting to see the contents of the new policy, and on battery storage in particular. That may come in May. My question of the Minister for Investment is: when will the government provide certainty to the thousands of South Australians who work in the renewable energy sector and the thousands more who want to invest in clean energy and storage for their homes and businesses?

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment) (14:29): I thank the honourable member for his question. I know he has had a longstanding interest in renewable energy, as he and I have been on a number of committees over the years. There is a range of factors being taken into consideration at the moment, but all of those are a matter for the Minister for Energy and Mining. For specific details, I will take that question on notice and bring back a reply to the honourable member.