A demonstration against the NSW government gathered thousands of protesters on Sydney for the administration to stop trimming down the solar benefit scheme.

As the NSW government decides to reduce tariffs to existing subscribers, solar industry installers, solar panel owners and supporters boldly make their opposition to the pronouncement known.

Greens MP John Kaye branded the move as "semi-unlawful" and a deterrent to the state's push towards a clean energy future.
"It will squander investment in renewable energy. It is a semi-illegal move," Kaye explained in an interview.

A one-for-one feed-in tariff was called for by Kaye. This will make energy corporations pay the same for solar energy engendered by households as they make households pay from electricity produced by coal-fire.

Chris Hartcher, NSW’s Energy Minister, declared this scheme will no longer be open to new applicants.

For every kilowatt hour of electricity they produce from their solar panels, each of the existing 120,000 subscribers receives 60 cents.
Retrospective legislation will be introduced to slash that rate to 40 cents per kilowatt hour.

John Grimes, chief executive of the Australian Solar Energy Society, admonished the demonstrators to contact independent MPs, saying it would be the only way to put an end to the passing of the legislation on Tuesday.

"We need two more votes ... there are four independent members, they will decide it. We will not back away from this fight. We will use every method at our disposal." Grimes said.

Christian Democrats and members of the Shooting Party may also be contacted by the protesters, Grimes added.

About 1500 people at Circular Quay chanted "save solar today" as they carried banners saying "Chris Hartcher equals Tariff snatcher" and "The future is solar".