From the category archives:

Government solar incentives

The benefits of solar power to the electricity grid

February 1, 2012
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A future where Australia’s power needs are met by renewable energy sources will demand substantial alterations to the way that electricity is generated and distributed. This point was recently highlighted in an editorial in the Sydney Morning Herald by Matthew Wright, executive director of Melbourne-based thinktank Beyond Zero Emissions, who described how rooftop solar power [...]

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Solar power sees major growth across Australia in 2010-2011

December 13, 2011
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Australia’s installed solar power capacity has grown 35 times what it was in 2008, according to a report (pdf) recently released by the Clean Energy Council of Australia. The report covers the growth of renewable energy generation across Australia (currently standing at 9.64% of all generation) in the 2010-2011 financial year. The approximately 1 million solar [...]

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Australia to see 37% average rise in electricity prices by 2014

December 12, 2011
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The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) has released a comprehensive review of the future of electricity prices across Australia. This report lends substance to speculation about the topic of energy prices the media. Factoring in the Federal government’s recently introduced Carbon Price (set to take effect from April 2012), the average price of retail electricity [...]

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How much do solar PV systems cost in Brisbane?

November 29, 2011
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Brisbane is the capital of Queensland as well as the state’s most populous city. All of Queensland is famous for its sunny weather, and Brisbane is no exception, with an average of 5.4 peak sun hours throughout the year, making it an ideal location for installing solar power. In addition to the state’s natural blessing [...]

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Will a solar PV system increase the value of my property?

October 27, 2011
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In addition to the obvious benefits of having a solar PV system installed on your home, shed, or office–savings on electricity bills, a carbon emission-free power source, and the envy of your neighbours–going solar could also potentially increase the value of your property. There are two primary reasons for this, both of which are fairly [...]

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The future of the Queensland Solar Feed-in Tariff

October 21, 2011
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The possible near-future conclusion for Queensland’s generous 44c per kilowatt-hour (kWh) Solar Bonus Feed-in Tariff has been a topic of speculation as of late. So far, there is no official source indicating that the state’s incentive scheme will be ending any time soon, but a number of issues–notably the budgetary situation in the state (and [...]

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Solar Power Townsville: Join the Townsville Solar Community

October 13, 2011
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Solar Choice is in the process of organising a Solar Community in Townsville, Queensland. Residents of the Townsville area are encouraged to take advantage of a special bulk discount rate on solar power systems by putting forward the local community’s collective bargaining power. Solar Choice has experience running Solar Communities for other regional areas throughout [...]

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Changes to South Australia Solar Power Feed-in Tariff Legislation

September 23, 2011
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      Some of the information below may be out of date. For the most up-to-date information on the state of South Australia Solar Feed-in Tariff incentives, see the South Australia Solar Feed-in Tariff page. Blog this! Digg this post Recommend on Facebook Share on Linkedin Share with Stumblers Tweet about it Print for [...]

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Is Solar Power right for you in NSW?

August 9, 2011

If you believe everything you read in the press, you’d think that solar power in NSW was dead and buried. There is reduced upfront federal assistance (RECs, STCs) for homeowners to buy solar systems and a reduced solar feed-in tariff from the sudden conclusion of the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme. Others have an optimistic outlook. They’d have you [...]

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WA feed in tariff closed to new applicants

August 1, 2011
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-Update 22 August 2011: WA’s solar feed-in tariff scheme has closed to new applicants. For regularly-updated list of state-by-state feed-in tariffs, please visit out solar power feed-in tariff page or contact a Solar Choice broker on 1300 78 72 73 for advice about incentives and a list of solar power quotes from installers in your area. You can [...]

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ACT Solar Feed in Tariff Reopened to Small-scale systems

July 4, 2011
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Australian Capital Territory households and small businesses have been given another chance to tap into the territory government’s ACT Solar Feed-in Tariff scheme. The ACT small-scale (‘micro-generator’) Feed-in Tariff scheme, for systems 30kW or smaller, closed at the beginning of June 2011 after it hit its 15-megawatt cap.  However, small-scale systems will now be eligible for a 30.16c/kWh Feed-in [...]

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WA 44c/kWh Feed-in Tariff scheme application deadline closes

July 1, 2011
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-Update 22 August 2011: the WA solar feed-in tariff scheme has closed. For regularly-updated list of state-by-state feed-in tariffs, please visit out solar power feed-in tariff page or contact a Solar Choice broker on 1300 78 72 73 for advice about incentives and a list of solar power quotes from installers in your area. You can also request [...]

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SA feed in tariff changes: Results from parliamentary debate

June 24, 2011
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SA‘s 44c/kWh solar feed-in tariff program has come to a close. For the most up-to-date information on the state of South Australia Solar Feed-in Tariff incentives, see the South Australia Solar Feed-in Tariff page. Blog this! Digg this post Recommend on Facebook Share on Linkedin Share with Stumblers Tweet about it Print for later Tell [...]

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Solar Flagship Program Winners: Moree Solar Farm, Chinchilla CSP plant

June 22, 2011
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The Federal Government has announced the recipients for funding from Round 1 of the Solar Flagships Program. Moree Solar Farm in NSW’s Central Tablelands is a 150MW photovoltaic installation, and the Solar Dawn consortium is planning to build a 250MW hybrid gas/concentrating solar power plant in Chinchilla, Queensland. Blog this! Digg this post Recommend on [...]

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SA Feed-in Tariff: Rumours about sudden changes

June 21, 2011
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SA solar customers must have received approval to connect to the grid by 30 September in order to take advantage of South Australia’s 44c/kWh feed-in tariff. (Get a free solar quote comparison of the installers who operate in your area of SA.) Click here for the most up-to-date info on the SA feed-in tariff. Blog this! Digg this post [...]

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NSW govt reconfirms obligations to connect solar power systems to the grid

June 20, 2011
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Following the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme feed-in tariff debacle, the NSW government has reaffirmed its legal obligation to connect residential solar power systems to the electricity grid on a net-metering system, despite the recent closure of the NSW Solar Bonus feed-in tariff scheme. Net metering set-ups allow those who have solar panels on their homes to [...]

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Save Solar Power: National Industry Summit to be held in Sydney

June 14, 2011
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The NSW solar power industry welcomed last week’s news that Premier Barry O’Farrell will not pursue legislation to retroactively cut the state’s 60c feed-in tariff under the now defunct NSW Solar Bonus Scheme. Despite this good news, there is still concern about the industry’s future, with several key solar incentive mechanisms being reduced: the federal REC (STC) multiplier [...]

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Some good news: Government drops retroactive solar NSW Solar Bonus Scheme reduction plans!

June 7, 2011
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Are you a New South Wales resident interested in going solar to offset your electricity bills? Solar Choice offers free, impartial advice and Solar Quote Comparisons: Our goal is to help you find the system that best suits your needs.  Want to know more about Solar Power in New South Wales first? The following articles might be of [...]

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ACT feed-in tariff hits 15MW cap, scheme closed

June 1, 2011
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The ACT government has announced that the micro-generator ACT feed-in tariff (45.7c/kWh) scheme has reached or exceeded its 15MW cap and is closed to new applications as of midnight 31 May 2011. This development does not come as a surprise; the FiT scheme has been in effect since March 2009. According to a media release from Minister for [...]

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Victoria Feed-in Tariff: Things to know

May 31, 2011
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Update 8 Dec 2011: The Victoria Premium Feed-in Tariff has been replaced with a Transitional Feed-in Tariff Scheme. Update on Victoria Solar Feed-in Tariff, 1 September 2011: Deadline to have systems installed for the 60c/kWh rate is 30 September 2011. Update on Victoria Premium Solar Feed-in Tariff, 10 August 2011: The scheme is close to capacity. [...]

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More Solar Power Industry response to proposed NSW Solar Bonus Scheme changes

May 25, 2011
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In a different perspective on the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme debacle, Clean Energy Council Chief Executive officer Matthew Warren showed some sympathy for the O’Farrell Government’s unenviable position of having inherited a ˜diabolical’ policy problem with no quick fixes. Customers receiving the 60c/kWh feed-in tariff on the old agreement stand to have their rates cut to [...]

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