Will the carbon tax affect your energy bills?

30th Mar 2012

You can't help but have noticed a lot of murmurs about carbon tax in the past few weeks – and much of the information will no doubt have gone over your head.

Tax is not the most interesting thing in the world, but it is something that impacts our everyday finances – perhaps more so than we would care to admit.

The new carbon tax is coming into force on July 1 and in simple terms is a charge imposed on polluters for every tonne of carbon they release into the atmosphere.

'So what?' I hear you ask. After all, everyday Aussies do not have as much of an impact as industrial-sized factories, right?

However, industry experts believe that the carbon tax could come back and bite us in the rear in the form of higher electricity bills. Just what we need, eh?

Fear not – there is still some hope for us yet in the form of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

Its chairman Rod Sims recently told the AAP that it will be keeping a close eye on electricity suppliers who try to slip excessive charges into our bills without noticing.

He conceded that it won't be possible to notice changes right down to the last cent, but the ACCC will do the best it can.

Financial models predict that with a carbon tax charged at $23 a tonne, there will be around a ten per cent rise to the average household bill.

"Most households pay about $200 a megawatt hour for their energy and there's a tonne of carbon in a megawatt hour, so it's pretty easy to see where you get a ten per cent figure," John pointed out.

There are of course ways you can insulate yourself against price rises, such as by installing solar panels.

Let's face it, the less energy you have to buy from the grid the better.

Posted by Bob Dawson

All solar power news categories

Government Rebate & Regulations
Solar Power & Technology


More Solar Power & Technology

Australia to be a part of huge Asian renewable energy growth
SunPower steps up to make solar more affordable
Canberra makes strides toward carbon neutrality
GTM puts solar's massive growth in perspective
Examining Australia's falling solar PV rooftop prices
Australia's shift toward renewable energy picks up the pace
Australia shines at solar decathlon
University of Queensland tapped as lead researcher on massive solar project
100 per cent renewable energy is possible in 10 years, environmental group says
Climate Commission releases report on solar progress
Aussie government actually shows spine for solar power
Be gone, skeptics: One million solar installations and counting
Australia embarks on its greatest solar journey ever
Australia looks to solar thermal for commercial success
Solar power helps King Island reach 100% sustainability
Australians 'heavy supporters of solar power'
Mildura solar plant officially unveiled
Solar power trumps other renewables in Australian minds
Sunshine Coast solar farm "fantastic initiative"
Sunshine Coast cashes in on namesake with solar plans
Energy storage 'could maximise solar power utility'
Solar powered family car - a world first?
Code of conduct for solar installers in the works
'Stop punishing households' for solar PV
Australian solar companies 'adjusting well'
Australian mining 'next solar frontier'
"Rooftop revolution" underway across Australia
Global PV market emerging from sluggish period
Royalla solar farm receives final approval
Leadership challenge a "debacle" for Australian solar power
Solar power giving global renewables a helping hand
Australia's largest CPV solar power plant up and running
Renewable energy misinformation "staggering"
CEC: Don't underestimate consumer desire for solar
Setting energy efficient examples on TV
Solar PV brightening up household bills
World's largest solar powered boat on the move
Climate change is heating up
The global solar power shift
New solar tech win for NSW
Industry orgs praise City of Sydney solar efforts
Clean Energy Council supports Regional Renewables scheme
Asian nations emerging as PV leaders
Solar PV demand continues to grow
Regional areas of Australia to receive more renewables
Australia's significant renewable energy growth
Solar panel reprieve for Queensland
New funding for solar research
Find love with sustainable speed dating
New Victorian solar power deal
 To get your quotes, please enter your postcode: