we already get subsidies to put panels on our roofs - wouldnt it be smarter to preference Australian made as a next step ?
The way the subsidy works is based on some criteria. When panels are put on your roof Small Scale Technology Certificates can be created which you can pass onto the installer to make things easier for you. Those certificates are eventually bought by business so that they can pollute more. The"subsidy" is being wound down annually by reducing the deeming period over time, (currently 7 years) If I installed the usual 6.6kW system in my neck of the woods today I would create 63 certificates at a buyback price of circa $36+ each making the system nearly $2300 cheaper.
The current "Australian made" solar panels which are really Australian assembled using imported cells are about .30 cents dearer per Watt than equivalent quality fully imported panels. 6600 x .30 = $1980 extra for current Australian made panels.
Also some people opt for much cheaper Chines panels than the Aussie made ones. When I installed panels, seeing that I live on the coast, I paid extra for Singapore assembled panels with a coastal rating which the Aussie ones also have.
One way to make Aussie made panels more competitive would be to slap tariffs on imports and make consumers pay more for the imports and start another tit for tat trade war with China. I we subsidised Australian panels instead China would probably take us to the WTO.
