Eligibility requirements for the feed-in tariff in QLD and related information

With its tropical and subtropical climate, Queensland is commonly known as the Sunshine State in Australia. Its climate is also believed to be highly conducive to solar energy.

The state leads the nation in solar power installations, with over 6,00,000 homes installed with panels. Since this form of renewable clean energy is in such great demand, it would be interesting to know who is eligible for the feed-in tariff QLD and other information related to it.

Who is eligible for a feed-in tariff in Queensland?

Firstly, you should know that the feed-in tariff requirements are different for Southeast and Regional Queensland. Hence, understanding the specific criterion for each region of the state is crucial before being considered for the tariffs.

Eligibility in Regional Queensland

You must fulfill specific eligibility requirements before receiving the benefits of a feed-in tariff in regional Queensland.

One of these is having a solar system with an inverter capacity not exceeding 30 kilowatts. The consumption of electricity should be less than 100 MWh a year. You should be connected to the electricity grid. There should be only one solar system per house or premise that receives the tariff. Being a retail customer of the public-operated Origin Energy, or Ergon Energy Retail is mandatory.

Southeast Queensland

If you live in Southeast Queensland, you can take advantage of competitive feed-in tariff rates offered by electricity retailers. Since the electricity market was deregulated in SEQ, there are different suppliers of electricity.

There are around 30 retailers who offer tariffs on solar systems, and each of them has different rates compared to the others. The electricity providers do not have to fulfil any requirements before submitting tariff rates. However, it is essential to compare and do your research before deciding to opt for one.

Availability of Solar Bonus Scheme and eligibility criteria

Are you available for the Solar Bonus Scheme?

The solar bonus scheme in Queensland, which offers a 44% feed-in tariff rate, is not available for new customers or those who opted for the system before 10th July 2012. You will continue receiving its benefits till 1st July 2028, as long as you continue to meet all the eligibility requirements.

Eligibility criteria

Some of the eligibility requirements that you should meet to benefit from this scheme are:

Use not more than 100 megawatts hours of electricity in a year
Inverter size should not exceed more than the capacity approved by the electricity provider
Be connected to the distribution network with a net-metered arrangement
If the inverter is replaced, it should be of the same size or a smaller one
Make sure any part of the solar system is replaced with the same kind
Have an account with the power retailer for the place where the solar panels are installed
Continue being the account holder of the house or property where the solar system is installed
If you change your provider, make sure that there is no change in your name

What is the feed-in tariff rate for Queensland?

As determined by the Queensland Competition Authority, the feed-in tariff rate, or FiT, for regional Queensland stands at 7.861 cents per kWh. The rate is fixed and can be altered only by the authorized body. In southeast Queensland, on the other hand, energy providers can decide their tariff rates.

You can use the above information to successfully determine whether or not you might be eligible to benefit from the feed-in tariff in QLD. If you are, take full advantage of it while enjoying the immense benefits of solar-powered cheap and renewable energy.