Small-scale solar cut $1.7bn off New South Wales energy bills
Consumers in the Australian state of New South Wales have had up to AUD2.2bn ($1.7bn) cut from their annual energy bills due to small-scale solar generation, according to consultants Energy Synapse. Small-scale PV installations had generated 1,540 GW hours of power from May 2016 to April 2017 and helped reduce wholesale energy prices by up to half, it said. During heatwaves in February, the contribution from small-scale solar reduced the average price of wholesale electricity by up to AUD258/MWh.

Small- scale solar systems have cut wholesale electricity costs by up to half in the past 12 months, a study has shown.

The report by consulting firm Energy Synapse, commissioned by a community-based organisation Solar Citizens Australia, found solar photovoltaic (PV) installations in NSW had saved consumers up to $2.2 billion from May 2016 to April 2017.

During this period, small solar PV systems are estimated to have generated 1540 gigawatt hours of power within the state.

The report says the volume-weighted average price of wholesale electricity would have been between $29 and $44 per megawatt hour higher than the actual average price for the period of $88 per megawatt hour.