Solar Update

Yes it will.  When it changes will depend on how long you have been on the Premium feed-in tariff. If you've received the Premium feed-in tariff for four years or more, your account will change to Standard Feed-in Tariff (FiT) on 1 July 2022.

If you have been on the Premium FiT for under four years, you will remain on your current tariff for now; however after four years you will no longer be eligible and will automatically be placed on the Standard FiT. We will send you a letter advising of the transition date to Standard FiT from Premium FiT. 

The Northern Territory Government is reforming renewable energy incentives to encourage investment in energy storage.

Currently, the Premium FiT that some Territorians receive is the highest in the country. This was subsidised by the NT Government as an incentive to boost solar penetration in the NT, but this is no longer sustainable. New types of incentives are required to encourage investment in solar battery storage so the NT can progress toward the 2030 target.

Our team is working to identify all customers who will be impacted by the change. We will contact our customers soon to advise the impact to their individual account.

If you have received the Premium feed-in tariff for 4 years or more, you will automatically be placed on the Standard feed-in-tariff  from 1 July 2022.

If you have received the Premium feed-in-tariff for less than 4 years, we will contact you soon to advise when your account will be impacted by the change over to a Standard feed-in-tariff.

The financial impact will be different for everyone as it depends on when and how you use your electricity. The reduction of the feed-in tariff will not change the main benefit of a rooftop solar system, which is to cover your own usage, minimising the electricity you purchase from the grid.

Adding a solar battery may help too. The NTG's Home and Business Battery Scheme offers incentives that might help you if you are considering investing in a battery. Visit https://nt.gov.au/industry/business-grants-funding/home-and-business-battery-scheme for more information.

We recognise this change might have financial impacts for some customers. We are here to help. We offer simple payment extensions that give you more time to pay your bill, as well as payment plans that allow you to pay your balance in small regular payments. Visit our financial support page to learn more. 

The announcement will take effect from 1 July 2022.

The Premium FiT was grandfathered in April 2020, with eligible customers applying for PV buy back after that date receiving the Standard feed-in tariff.

Prior to that date, eligible customers applying for PV buy back would have received the Premium feed-in tariff.

No, the Premium feed-in tariff was grandfathered in April 2020, with eligible customers applying for PV buy back after that date receiving the Standard feed-in tariff.

This also applies to customers moving into a property with an existing solar system, even when the previous occupant may have received the Premium feed-in tariff.

You will continue to realise savings on your bills from using the electricity produced by your system to cover your own household usage.

Taking advantage of the Home and Business Battery Scheme, you may also maximise your bill savings by adding a solar battery to your PV system. A battery will enable you to store energy from your solar system to use at times when the sun is not shining, especially in the evenings.

Battery storage maximises your ability to use the electricity generated by your rooftop system. When you need to use more electricity than your panels can produce (eg. at night or on rainy days) you can use the energy stored in your battery.

The NT Government’s Home Business Battery Scheme is designed to assist customers to manage their energy bills, optimise rooftop solar consumption, and help reduce payback period for solar and battery investments. Visit https://nt.gov.au/industry/business-grants-funding/home-and-business-battery-scheme for more information.

If you modify your existing solar system, you will no longer be eligible for the Premium feed-in tariff rate. You will receive the standard feed-in tariff rate moving forward.

Modifications to your existing system include modifying the inverter capacity, increasing the size of your system and retrofitting a battery storage.

Most customers with a solar system will have realised bill savings on the Premium feed-in tariff sufficient to contribute to their rooftop solar system within four years.

The Northern Territory Government's announcement about the change to the Premium feed-in tariff will affect businesses that have received the Premium rate for 4 years or more. They will be moved to the Standard feed-in tariff. From 1 July 2022, businesses that have received the Premium rate for 4 years or more will automatically be changed to the Standard feed-in tariff.