The Australian Government's $94 million visionary Solar Cities initiative is helping to create a new energy future for Australian communities. Through "realworld" trials in key urban locations across Australia, governments, industry, businesses and residents are working together to change the way we think about and use our energy.

Solar Cities is creating new partnerships to help people save energy; drive the use of Australia's leading-edge solar energy technologies; reward energy efficiency and solar power generation; and showcase to all Australians the economic and environmental benefits of wiser energy choices.

Around Australia, governments, industry and communities are working together to secure Australia's energy future.

What is the Blacktown Solar City project all about?
The Blacktown Solar City project is about giving residents and businesses in the Blacktown local government area the education and tools they need to use energy more wisely and reduce energy consumption and associated emissions.

By employing solar power, smart meters, energy efficiency and new approaches to electricity pricing and financing, this project will provide cost effective energy solutions and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Importantly, it will also provide valuable information that has the potential to help shape future energy markets and policy across different levels of government.

Why Blacktown City?
The Blacktown City area was identified as being an ideal Solar City location because of its emerging energy issues, its representativeness of the future Australian community, the opportunity for real electricity infrastructure deferral, and the engagement of the Blacktown City Council and local electricity network/retailer, Integral Energy.

Blacktown City is an area whose population growth is fuelling energy demand and placing additional pressure on an already constrained network.

This situation is not unique to Blacktown but reflects the energy challenges that many Australian cities are going to need to tackle.

Adopting technologies like solar PV can reduce the risk of blackouts and help offset the need for costly investment in electricity infrastructure.

Is it compulsory to participate?
Not at all. All participation is voluntary but strongly encouraged!

Who can participate?
The project includes packages and measures which ensure it is accessible to all segments of the community. Products and services offered by the consortium range broadly in price, with a number being free. As well, the consortium will be offering the entire project area with energy saving education which will provide all residents, businesses and community organisations with the information they need to make real energy savings.

Any resident or business in the Blacktown local government area (LGA) can participate.

The Blacktown City LGA comprises the following 47 suburbs: Acacia Gardens, Arndell Park, Bidwill, Blackett, Blacktown, Colebee, Dean Park, Dharruk, Doonside,Eastern Creek, Emerton, Glendenning, Glenwood, Hassall Grove, Hebersham, Huntingwood, Kellyville Ridge, Kings Langley, Kings Park, Lalor Park, Lethbridge Park, Marayong, Marsden Park, Minchinbury, Mount Druitt, Oakhurst, Parklea, Plumpton, Prospect (part), Quakers Hill, Riverstone, Ropes Crossing, Rooty Hill, Rouse Hill (part), Schofields, Seven Hills, Shalvey, Shanes Park, St Marys (Part), Stanhope Gardens, The Ponds, Toongabbie (part), Tregear, Vineyard (part), Whalan, Willmot and Woodcroft.

Will the project be accessible to any citizens outside the project area?

The project is focussed on the Blacktown City LGA, however, it has been designed for easy replication and roll-out beyond the project area if it proves successful.

What kinds of things will be available in the project? What can my family do?
A range of different packages will be available featuring solar PV, solar hot water, free energy efficiency lightbulb packs, free energy audits, smart meters, demand management, cost reflective pricing and innovative financing. Households, businesses and community organisations will have the opportunity to do as much as install a solar electricity system on their roof, or as little as install energy efficient light bulbs as part of the community's efforts to reduce energy consumption, bills and greenhouse gas emissions.

Do householders or members of the community have to pay to be involved?
Products and services offered by the consortium range broadly in price, with a number being free. There will be a range of energy saving solutions and financing packages to ensure that the program is widely accessible. Also participants will be able to access all available government rebates and incentives.

And, we expect that the consumers themselves will benefit through lower energy bills and a greater reward for the energy they produce through their solar PV.

As a resident of Blacktown, why should I care?
Blacktown Solar City represents an opportunity for the whole community to come together and lead the country and the world as an example of a sustainable energy future.

This is a chance to reduce your impact on the environment, giving your children and future generations a cleaner, healthier future.

All residents will have the opportunity to make a difference.

Where can people find out more about the project?
You can find out more about Blacktown Solar City by calling 1800 619 322.

How do I sign up to participate?
You can sign up by filling out an online form or by calling our call centre (1800 619 322) and providing us with your details. The consortium will then follow-up with you to so you can start making a difference!

Are there any terms and conditions on participation in the project?
Yes. Specific terms conditions apply to each Solar City offering. To take advantage of the many special offers in this project you need to agree to fill out a survey on your energy behaviours and then allow the project consortium to monitor your energy consumption for the project period (2007-2013). This ongoing monitoring of your energy consumption is done automatically via an advanced meter and will not impact your day-to-day life. You may also be invited to complete follow-up surveys later in the project to help us assess your experiences with the program. Some offers are restricted to certain areas within the Blacktown LGA and all offers are limited and may be withdrawn without notice.

What is your privacy policy? Will my personal information be secure if I sign up and participate?
Our privacy policy is listed here on our website.

About Blacktown Solar City

Where is Blacktown City?
Blacktown City is a local government area in western Sydney, 35km west of the Sydney CBD. It is home to over 280,000 making it the most populous local government area in NSW and the third largest in Australia.

About the Consortium

Who are the consortium members?
The Blacktown Solar City consortium includes BP Solar, Integral Energy, ANZ, Landcom, Big Switch Projects and Blacktown City Council.

What will these consortium members roles be?
BP Solar is the leader of the consortium and will be providing all of the solar power systems as well as project management, marketing and communication services for the project.

Integral Energy will be leading the collection of data under the trial and managing the offer of smart meters, innovative pricing and a number of energy saver trials, including air-conditioning cycling and pool pump control.

Blacktown City Council will be taking a leading role in community engagement and promotion.

ANZ will be providing a range of financial products to assist in increasing the affordability and accessibility of the products and packages available under the trial.

Landcom will be offering solar energy packages including solar power PV systems to its customers at The Ponds.

Big Switch Projects will be designing and managing business and residential energy efficiency trials and education programmes.

How is the Department of Housing involved in Blacktown Solar City?
DoH will be trialling replacing electric hot water systems with solar hot water systems and installing Solar PV in order to reduce the energy bills of its tenants.

About the new solar home offer

How can Blacktown Solar City offer a 1.65kW system at such a low price?
Blacktown Solar City handles all rebates at the point of sale, that’s why you only pay $5,500 for a 1.65 kilowatt solar electricity system. When you purchase a solar panel system the Government gives you a certain amount of Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) based on the system’s size. These RECs are like shares that can then be traded. Blacktown Solar City has fixed a competitive price for the RECs on these 1.65kW systems and will essentially ‘buy them from you’ in order to keep the cash price so low. So by allowing Blacktown Solar City to handle this REC rebate for you, you skip all the paperwork headaches and waiting time involved in trying to lodge and claim those rebates yourself.

How can I earn money from the electricity I generate?
In order to encourage more people to switch to solar power for their electricity, the NSW Government announced the details of a new Solar Bonus Scheme towards the end of 2009. They locked in a gross feed-in tariff rate of 60 cents for every kilowatt hour your system generates and feeds back in to the grid. Gross feed-in means you get paid for all the electricity your system produces, unlike the previous net feed-in tariff that was based on buying back only the electricity you didn’t use. Based on a 1.65kW system it means that you could earn over $1,600 back each year!^2,3The new scheme will run for seven years commencing from 1 January 2010.

Why are electricity prices rising?
The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) recommended significant increases to electricity prices over the course of the following three years. This was due to a large increase in the cost of supplying electricity as well as the need to ensure that the state’s future demand can be met. It means that the average household is subjected to an increase of about 21% on the cost of their electricity.^4,5

What support is there after installation of my solar electricity system?
All of BP Solar’s electricity systems are backed by a support network of Certified Installers who are on hand in the unlikely event that you experience any difficulties with your solar electricity system. BP Solar’s systems are also supported by an industry leading guarantee of 93% power output for the first 12 years and 85% thereafter for up to 25 years.

About the solar package

Will solar be put on every home in Blacktown City?
No, however, participation in the program is open to all residents, businesses and community organisations. The options for participating don't only include solar power either.

Will the solar electricity and other initiatives go on schools, government buildings or private homes?
The solar electricity systems can installed on a home, an investment property or a business. Other initiatives within the project have encouraged schools within the Blacktown LGA to participate.

As well, the consortium will be installing two sculpural "iconic" solar PV systems which will make it clear that Blacktown City is now a Solar City.

Will solar systems be more affordable in Blacktown Solar City?
Yes, the packages will be priced to offer advantage to the Blacktown City community. There are substantial discounts off the recommended retail price for installed solar systems, including all available government rebates and incentives.

What solar options will be available from Blacktown Solar City and how much will they cost?
1.65kW solar PV systems is being offered in the Blacktown LGA for $5,500 including GST.

Do I have to use ANZ finance to purchase a solar package?
You can use any finance you have available for the purchase of your solar package.

How many homes will receive solar PV as part of this project?
The number of homes taking up solar will depend on the level of interest in the community, however, with the increased affordability of systems the numbers will be in the hundreds, if not thousands, by project-end.

I own an investment home in the Blacktown LGA, can I receive the solar discounts?
Yes you can.

Is there a limit on the number of solar PV systems that are being offered in the project?
Yes there are only 150 systems available so the earlier you can sign up, the better.

What is solar power? Is it used to heat your hot water?
There are two main ways that the sun's energy can be used: to heat water (typically for use at home for showers, etc) and to create electricity which can be used normally in your home to power lights and appliances. The technical name for solar electricity technologies is "photovoltaics". Although solar hot water systems will be available within certain Blacktown Solar City packages, the focus of the Blacktown Solar City project is the installation and trial of solar electricity systems on homes, businesses, and community organisations.

Do I have to have batteries to have a solar power system?
No. Solar systems can either be connected to the electricity grid (using the grid for back-up power) or independent of the electricity grid (using batteries to provide back-up power). The focus of Solar Cities is on grid connected solar electricity systems. With such a system, you remain connected to the electricity grid. When the solar system generates more electricity during the day than you are using, it will export the electricity back into the grid and give you a credit against your bill. At night, you just use electricity from the grid like normal.

About advanced meters

What is an advanced meter?
Advanced meters (also known as "smart meters") are electronic meter devices which give customers real-time information about the amount of electricity they are using as well as the price of the electricity at any given time. As part of Blacktown Solar City, approximately 4,000 advanced meters will be installed in the project area, with a number of these including in-home displays for ease of use. As well as giving consumers more information about their electricity use, the advanced meters will play a major role in the data collection for assessing the success of the Blacktown Solar City program. If your house doesn't already have an advanced meter, one will be installed free of charge if you participate in the Seasonal Saver Trial or Dynamic Peak Pricing Trial.

About business offers

What packages will be offered for Businesses in the Blacktown area?
Commercial premises will be offered the opportunity to install discounted Solar PV systems and undertake discounted energy efficiency and demand reduction audits.

I'm a small business owner, am I eligible to participate in the discounted energy efficiency and demand reduction audits?
As the energy efficiency audits will cost $5,000 to $10,000 they are targeted at medium to large businesses with a monthly energy bill of $2,000 or more.

About other offers

I am not a home owner but rent in Blacktown, how can I participate in the project?
Renters will be able to participate in many of the project offerings, including free 6-packs of energy efficient compact fluorescent globes.

What discounts will be available to me to insulate my home?
You will save up to 10% on the standard retail price for ceiling insulation and receive an additional $200 subsidy from the Australian Government for participation in our Blacktown Solar City Energy and Comfort Trial. All prices include GST and there may be additional charges for houses with ducted air-conditioning or difficult to access ceiling cavities. For example, an average 150 square metre house the standard retail price for ceiling insulation is $1000 to $1100. Our special offer will save you up to $300 or, put another way, you will pay approximately $800 to insulate your ceiling. [From 1st October 2007, you could also be eligible to receive an additional rebate of up to $300 per household from the NSW Climate Change Fund.]

I want a free Energy Audit. How can I register my interest?
Free energy audits are currently unavailable. However you can register your interest here in a free energy audit should they become available.

What if I am not in this trial area and still want to audit my energy?
You can audit your energy behaviours and consumption using the Integral Energy Calculator on the Blacktown Solar City website at http://www.integral.com.au/cfmx/calculator/calculator.html. This tool will also offer you tips on how you can reduce your energy consumption and bills by making simple changes around the home.

How will Blacktown Solar City be involved in the community?
The project consortium will be involved with a presence at a number of community events throughout the year, including the Blacktown Festival and Environment Expo. The consortium will also look to sponsor a limited number of local events and initiatives as part of its public relations campaign.

What changes have occurred to Solar Rebates since the Federal Budget announcement on the 14th May 2008?
In the recent federal budget the Australian Government changed the eligibility criteria for domestic solar electricity rebates. The previous Photovoltaic Rebate Program (PVRP) has now been replaced by the Solar Home and Community Plan (SHCP). Under the Solar Home and Community Plan rebates are now means tested and only available to households with a family taxable income of less than $100,000.00. For further information on rebates and eligibility through the Solar Home and Community plan please visit http://www.environment.gov.au/settlements/renewable/pv/index.html or call 1800 808 571.

My family taxable income is less than $100,000 so will I be eligible for the rebates under the Blacktown Solar City offers?
Provided you meet all other eligibility criteria and there are systems available under the offer you are interested in yes, you will be eligible for the rebates under the Blacktown Solar City offers.

What other eligibility criteria am I required to meet?
You must own and reside in the house on which the Solar Electricity system is to be installed. You must agree to fill out a survey on your energy behaviours and then allow the project consortium to monitor your energy consumption for the project period (2007-2013) and access historical energy data for comparison. You must be technically and financially eligible for a solar PV installation.

My family taxable income is over $100,000 so will I be able to get a PV system under the Blacktown Solar City offer?
If your family taxable income is greater than $100,000, a limited amount of additional funding for these applications. However, you should be aware that applications will be allocated this funding based on the date of application until the funding is exhausted.

I applied for a Blacktown or an Adelaide Solar City Solar Home Offer prior to the budget announcements, will I be affected by the changes?
If you have received and site inspection and accepted the provided quote then you will be processed under the old PVRP rebate scheme and will not be affected by the changes, your application will continue to be processed unchanged.

If you had not received a site inspection prior to the 13th May 2008 then your application will be affected by these changes.

If your family taxable income is less than $100,000 then you will be eligible for the domestic solar electricity rebate under the new Solar Home and Community Plan (SHCP) and your application will continue without interruption. Someone from Blacktown or Adelaide Solar City will be in contact with you shortly to confirm your eligibility and process your application.

For applicants with a family taxable income greater than $100,000, we are still working through this issue with the Australian Government. A system has been allocated to you and someone from Blacktown Solar City will be in contact with you shortly to advise on progress.

How many PV systems have already been installed in the Blacktown LGA through Blacktown Solar City?
As of the 30th June 2008 the following PV systems have been installed

Solar Home Offer	Installations Completed
Solar Home Offer 1 (1kW PV)	33
Solar Home Offer 2 (1kWPV +SHW)	34
Solar Home Offer 3 (1.5kW PV with ANZ homeloan)	2
Solar Home Offer 4 (1kW new builds)	0
Dept of Housing ( 1kW PV)	26

What does Blacktown Solar Cities think about means-testing for solar PV?
Blacktown Solar City will continue to work with the Australian Government to ensure the continued success of Solar Cities, noting that it is the responsibility of the Australian Government to determine how programs such as Solar Cities are administered.