SIMON Corbell is asking community groups to put their hands up for a new solar scheme that could generate enough electricity per year to power 250 Canberra homes.

“This will be a great opportunity for community members who want to invest in large-scale solar to get involved in an on-ground project,” Simon said.

“Successful proposals will have access to a feed-in-tariff, giving community groups a secure income stream and allowing them to partner with experienced solar developers to access project finance and expertise.

A direct grant of up to 20 cents per kilowatt-hour for 20 years will be available – slightly higher than the nation leading price achieved under the 2012 and 2013 ACT Large-scale Solar Auctions. The capacity release will be capped at one megawatt, equivalent to around 500 rooftop solar installations.

“We are expecting a lot of interest from residents and small consortiums across the ACT who want to invest in renewable energy but need an extra incentive, such as a feed-in-tariff,” Mr Corbell said.

Proposals under the scheme will be considered on a first-come-first-served basis and will remain open for one year from today, unless the cap is reached before then.

As part of the selection process, solar developers must apply best practice community engagement processes.

Information on the request for proposals can be found at http://www.act.gov.au/solar

[Photo by Russ Ferriday, attribution licence]