Putting pressure on the government, Australia’s solar peak bodies today said at least 73 solar jobs a day are now being lost in NSW due to the policy void around a fair and equal price on solar power.

The Australian Solar Energy Society (AuSES) and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) urged the NSW Government to adopt a fair and equal price for solar where clean solar power fed back into the grid got the same price as fossil fuel or coal generated power.

The Peak Bodies yesterday submitted the costed ‘Fair & Equal Price for Solar Solution’ following endorsement of the approach at last week’s Government Solar Summit. This is consistent with the Smart Solar Strategy presented to the NSW Government in May 2011.

“Every day this Solution sits on a desk in Government is 73 solar job lost,” said John Grimes Chief Executive of AuSES.

This would be zero cost to the Government and taxpayers and support households wanting to install solar, cut the impact of electricity price increases and the use of carbon polluting fossil fuel generate power. It would give solar workers and businesses a soft landing, certainty and so a future.

AuSES and SEIA said the ‘Solar Solution’ should be adopted by close of business Wednesday, 6 July to keep the solar industry alive.

“NSW residents have embraced solar power from Annandale to Armidale. Many households have indicated rooftop solar has allowed them to control their own energy prices and they love it. We are confident that Barry O’Farrell will only want to promote this,” said SEIA President Ged McCarthy.

The ‘Fair & Equal Price for Solar Solution’ modeling and costing was prepared by the same financial team that identified over $400 million in solar savings for the NSW Government last month. That modeling was independently validated by Ernst & Young.

“The NSW Government has demonstrated that it will listen to the industry peak bodies and develop policy based on financial facts. We hope the Government will again take the expert advice of our solar financial specialists and adopt the ‘Fair & Equal Price for Solar Solution’,” said John Grimes Chief Executive of AuSES.

The ‘Fair & Equal Price for Solar Solution’ is based on solar households being paid the same price as fossil fuel generated power by the electricity companies, which is credited against their electricity bill.