More good news. It seems the GFC has imposed a bit of common sense on the government. So another subsidy is being scrapped. Retrofitting small solar panels on existing homes is one of the most expensive ways to reduce greenhouse emissions. It was nothing more than a vote buying scam. It wasted money and reduced our ability to make serious inroads into climate change. The worst thing we could possibly do is justify the propaganda about emissions reductions being prhibitively expensive.

Government scraps $8000 solar subsidy

http://www.theage.com.au/environment/government-scraps-8000-solar-subsidy-20081217-70sl.html

THE Rudd Government will scrap its $8000 rebate to households installing rooftop solar power and instead require electricity retailers to increase their own solar subsidies.

In another policy shift, Environment Minister Peter Garrett said yesterday the Government would end its subsidies to household solar power generation because soaring demand had swollen the cost to the budget.

In its May budget, Labor limited the rebate to low and middle-income households earning less than $100,000 a year. From July, it will scrap the rebate for them too because too many of them are claiming it.

In October alone, almost 1000 households were paid to install 1.35 megawatts of rooftop power, almost as much as in all of 2005.

Industry sources said that while it cost about $12,500 to buy and install a typical 1kW system, bulk schemes organised by local councils had cut the net cost to households to as little as $1500 to $2000, after deducting the $8000 rebate and subsidies of about $1000 from electricity retailers.

Subsidies should be trated with great caution.
It is close to encouraging an industry that is uneconomic, so fraught with danger.

In this case, the ALP has greatly distorted a sector, now closed it off completely.
Many coys will fail due to these wildly fluctuating operating conditions.

I'm not subsidised for burning firewood in my old slow combustion stove.

Feels good, warm and fire flames bring genetic memories of ancient well being.