The Queensland Government will consider de-regulating solar feed-in tariffs (FiT) across the south-east of the state, following a report into solar FiT’s by the Queensland Competition Authority (QCA). 

The Estimating a fair and Reasonable Solar Feed-in Tariff for Queensland report, released last week, makes a number of recommendations that will now be considered by the State Government.

The report identified systemic flaws in the current system, and concluded that the Solar Bonus Scheme would add 17 per cent to the average electricity bill by 2015-16.

“When those doing the paying are likely those least able to afford it and those enjoying the benefits are those likely to be most able to afford to meet their true costs, then something is truly wrong,” the report concluded.

State Energy Minister, Mark McArdle, said that the Government had no intention of scrapping the 44 cents feed-in tariff for existing participants of the scheme, provided they continue to meet its eligibility criteria.