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From the category archives:

Government solar incentives

The US is taking directions on Solar Power from China

August 19, 2010
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A law recently signed by Pat Quinn the Governor for the state of Illinois, the same state that President Barack Obama is from, is looking like the US is taking directions from China in how to promote Solar Energy.

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Victoria to get serious about Solar Power!

July 27, 2010
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Victoria is a state that is blessed with great wind sites and currently has 300 megawatts of wind power in operation. With a further 1000 megawatts of wind being approved by the respective authorities one would think that the state of Victoria is seeking to meet its renewable energy target through wind alone, however that [...]

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Solar credits multiplier to possibly be reduced

July 7, 2010
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The amount of Solar Credits you receive for installing a new solar system may be reduced in the later part of 2010, ahead of schedule.

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The Enhanced Renewable Energy Target

July 2, 2010
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The enhanced Renewable Energy Target (eRET) legislation has been passed by the Australian Parliament. It is projected to unlock between $20-25 billion in investment and create thousands of jobs.

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Queensland Solar Bonus Update

June 9, 2010
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Launched in 2008, Queensland’s Solar Bonus Scheme encourages the expansion of clean energy by guaranteeing that homes and small businesses are paid a premium rate for surplus electricity generated by small-scale solar energy systems. The program was reviewed in April 2010, with the Queensland Government announcing that 36 megawatts of solar capacity had been connected [...]

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Feed-in Tariff Scheme announced by Western Australia

June 7, 2010
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The Western Australian government recently announced the implementation of a net Feed-in Tariff (FiT) to encourage the expansion of residential renewable energy systems. This new scheme is set to commence on 1 August 2010 with a premium FiT rate of 40 cents per Kilowatt-hour over the next ten years.

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Ammendments to the Enhanced Renewable Energy Target (eRET)

June 3, 2010
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Changes were made to the Renewable Energy Electricity Act as a result of the Enhanced Renewable Energy Target (eRET) and there is good news and bad news for all the stakeholders involved.

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Australian Solar Cities & Communities Growing!

April 26, 2010
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Adelaide, Townsville, Blacktown, Alice Springs, Central Victoria, Perth and Coburg are getting $75 Million dollars over 5 years to demonstrate high penetration uptake of solar technologies, energy efficiency and smart metering. So what have they done so far?

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Solar Power Update from Germany

April 16, 2010
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Solar Powered Germany : a shining example
 

The implementation and ongoing review of feed-in-tariff laws in Germany over the last 19 years has been hugely successful in encouraging solar PV installations.

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Australia’s Feed-in-Tariff debate

April 14, 2010
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To Feed-in or not to Feed-in: Encouraging renewable energy electricity production
The concept of a feed-in-tariff (FiT) has been around since the 70’s but it was only in the last decade we saw Germany pioneer its usage to dramatically increase electricity generation from solar PV.

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Solar Energy : UK FiT for action

April 10, 2010
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Solar Energy Feed-in-Tariff (FiT) for UK Households
At long last the clouds have parted and the UK has followed its European neighbours to announce a solar feed-in-tariff. The Clean Energy Cash back Scheme announced in February was launched on April 1 and will run for 25 years.  Householders will now be paid a rate of 41.3pkWh [...]

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ACT Feed-in-Tariff (FiT) Revision

March 28, 2010
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Important news for ACT customers only: Earlier this month a strategical recommendation was made by the Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission (ICRC in Canberra) that would directly affect the investment appetite for people who want to install solar energy panels on their roofs.

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What is Environmental Performance Disclosure?

March 25, 2010
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Yet another reason to go solar!
In the second half of this year mandatory disclosure will be introduced for commercial office buildings with a leasable space over 2000 square metres. Environmental Performance Disclosure will then be phased in for all residential premises across all Australian states and territories by May 2011. So………

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REC prices to be guaranteed at $40 from 01 Jan 2011

March 2, 2010
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On Friday the 27th of February the Minister for Climate Change announced some very positive changes to the prices of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). The changes will simplify and gaurantee the Solar Credits rebate which significantly lowers the cost of installing solar PV cells.

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Home energy consumption versus solar PV generation

February 16, 2010
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You may be wondering, if I install a 1.5kW solar PV system, how much energy will I be feeding back to the grid? This is an important question, especially if your state has a net feed-in tariff. The answer depends on two things – how much energy you produce, and how much you consume.

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Gross Metering Details for Energy Australia New South Wales

February 9, 2010
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There is a lot of discussion in the industry regarding exactly how the New South Wales Solar Bonus Scheme will affect properties meter boxes and connections with the grid. Solar Choice has done the preliminary research, and has an update for all NSW solar energy customers, especially those with Energy Australia.

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Solar trackers

January 21, 2010
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A good way to maximise the output of your solar PV system is to have it mounted on a solar tracker. Solar trackers can boost the electrical output of your PV system significantly, allowing you to earn more income from the feed-in tariff. However, as discussed in this article, the economics of solar trackers are [...]

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NSW feed-in tariff loophole to be closed

January 20, 2010
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A loophole in the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme (the states feed-in tariff) that allowed energy retailers to only offer credit instead of cash will be closed.
The NSW Energy Minister, John Robertson, said via a spokesman that ”if retailers are found to be acting unfairly we will not hesitate to introduce regulations to ensure consumers are protected.”

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Putting solar cells on your holiday home – a nice little earner

Thumbnail image for Putting solar cells on your holiday home – a nice little earner January 15, 2010

For those of you luck enough to own a holiday home you no doubt already know that renting it out to friends and the public is a great way to earn some extra money.
Now there’s another way to earn some extra money from your lovely little holiday shack – putting solar cells on it.

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The Green Loans program

January 12, 2010

A solar PV system is a great way to green your home, reduce your energy bills and shrink your carbon footprint. The various solar feed in tariffs offered, which pay you a special premium for the energy your solar cells generate, also provide financial incentives to going solar. However, the upfront cost of a solar system can be an issue. 

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What happens if my solar energy installation is slightly over the Feed in Tariff limit?

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So you’ve made the decision to install solar panels on you roof and would like to take full advantage of the Feed in Tariff’s available. How big can you make your system, and what are the limits for the Feed in Tariff?

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