Solar at seven-year low under Coalition policies

Australia's solar energy sector is facing further job losses amid falling numbers of new rooftop installations amid a lack of support during the Abbott-Turnbull governments, industry representatives say.

New investment in household and small businesses installing systems with less than 100-kilowatt capacity has dropped to a seven-year low, with Coalition policies largely to blame, John Grimes, chief executive of the Australian Solar Council, said.

"The sunburnt country has burnt its solar industry," Mr Grimes said. "Thousands of jobs have been lost and hundreds of small businesses have closed their doors."

Read Peter Hannam’s story in today’s Melbourne Age - “Coalition's 'war on solar' has sector cutting back, industry groups say.”

Solar power industry targets Australia's PM

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ustralia’s solar power industry has vowed to expand its marginal-seats campaign against the Coalition and aims “to remove this government from office” after ministers directed the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) to avoid wind and small-scale solar investments.

The Australian Solar Council has previously targeted numerous marginal electorates in opposition to cuts to the 2020 renewable energy target (RET) but is now flagging a much larger campaign with a multimillion-dollar budget aimed directly at the Prime Minister, Tony Abbott.

“If the Abbott government is returned and has control of the Senate, our industry is finished,” the council’s chief executive, John Grimes, told Guardian Australia.

Read the Guardian story - “Solar power industry vows to step up campaign to topple Abbottgovernment”.