Origin to start solar roll-out

WESTERN Australia will be among the first states targeted in the national roll-out of Origin Energy's domestic solar roof-top systems installation program.

In what is believed to be the first national solar roll-out program for domestic customers, Origin Energy is partnering with installer O'Donnell Griffin to drive solar panel installations across homes in WA, South Australia and New South Wales.

The first stage of the installation project will start this month, with an estimated 80 installations planned across the three states.

The partnership projects the national roll-out will lead to the installation of 20,000, one-kilowatt solar panels by 2013.

Panels can be installed within 12 weeks, according to O'Donnell Griffin

Financial incentives for the installation of rooftop solar panels include a federal rebate of up to $8,000 and, in some states, feed-in tariffs.

In all states, except WA, feed-in tariffs pay owners a premium for the electricity their system feeds back into the grid.

Feed-in tariffs for NSW equate to almost 60 cents per kilowatt hour, roughly four times the retail price.

Victoria has a feed-in tariff of 60 cents per kilowatt hour starting in 2009.

SA and Queensland both already have operative feed-in tariffs at 44 cents per kilowatt hour.

'Solar energy is fast becoming an ideal centralised, distributed generation source given its low impact in terms of noise, aesthetics and maintenance and its long term reliability,' Origin Energy solar energy business manager Dominic Drenen said in a statement.