Solar

Solar Choice

From the category archives:

Solar and renewables policy

Recap: Who is truly advocating Solar Power?

August 11, 2010
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As election day draws closer, the three different camps are going to be talking about each others policies and how they are trying to keep the best interests of the Australian public in mind. So what are they saying about Solar Power?

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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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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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Tax implications of going Solar!

March 19, 2010
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The Australian Tax Office [ATO] has released its findings regarding the treatment of income generated from selling electricity back to the grid.

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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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Power prices set to rise by up to 60%

December 4, 2009
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The NSW Energy Minister John Robertson said last Monday that he had received verbal advice from the state’s pricing regulator that power prices could rise by up to 60% in the near future. According to the Sydney Morning Herald this would add about $400 to the annual power bill of the average household over the [...]

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ETS voted down in the senate for a second time

December 2, 2009
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The Federal Government’s proposed Emissions Trading Scheme has been just been voted down in the Senate for a second time. After the tumultuous political events of the last week, the new look opposition lead by Tony Abbot has blocked the scheme, which would have established a cap on Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions and placed a [...]

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NSW Govt Announces Gross Feed In Reward Scheme

November 10, 2009

Wonderful news for NSW customers who will be going solar, or already have installed solar energy!
NSW Govt announced an hour ago that the new feed in reward scheme starting on 1 January 2010 would be far more generous than the net tariff announced earlier this year, and that a gross scheme will be introduced instead. [...]

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Victorian Feed-In Tariff Commences

November 2, 2009

After much deliberation the details of the Victorian feed-in reward rate have been announced, with a commencement date on the 1st of November, 2009. Official specifications for the reward rate fall much in line with what was expected, with one major condition; the model will only be eligible for the first 100 megawatts  (100,000 kilowatts) that [...]

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Solar Credit discounts legislated today!

August 20, 2009

Great news for all Australian residences and businesses looking to install solar energy.
The Senate today passed the Renewable Energy Target (RET) bill, which includes legislation for the Solar Credit discounts of up to $7,000 for anyone looking to install a 1.5kW (9 panel) solar energy system.

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Senate rejects climate change laws: solar credit discounts still on hold

August 13, 2009

The Senate today rejected the Government’s climate change package, leaving the solar credit legislation in limbo.
Calls have been made by the Australian renewable industry for both major parties to put politics aside and cut the Renewable Energy Target (RET) bill free from the defeated CPRS for immediate passage or risk catastrophic damage to and job [...]

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Senate should be asked to pass Solar Credits as separate legislation

August 10, 2009

Solar Credit discount legislation – which forms part of the Renewable Energy Target (RET) bill – is back before the Senate this week, together with the Emmissions Trading Scheme. The RET was deferred in June by the Coalition and Senator Nick Minchin to allow further time for consideration.

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NSW Govt announces ‘feed in reward scheme’ for solar

June 24, 2009

It has been a long time coming. Yesterday the NSW Government finally announced that from 1 January 2010 households generating solar power will be paid 60c per kilowatt hour for surplus electricity they pump into the grid. This could yield up to $1,450 per year for a 1.5kW system, significantly reducing the payback period to [...]

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Media Release from Senator Milnes on axing of remote power rebate

June 23, 2009

The following is a copy of today’s media release by Green’s Senator Chistine Milne, concerning yesterday’s abrupt cancellation of the remote power rebate:

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Solar Credit legislation deferred until at least August 2009

June 18, 2009

This morning the Renewable Energy Target bill, under which the Solar Credits Scheme was due to operate, was deferred until at least August 2009. This was the result of a motion to refer the bill to committee by Family First Senator Stephen Fielding, which was supported by the coalition and Senator Nick Xenephon. Labor and [...]

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How solar in Australia compares to Germany, Japan and USA

June 12, 2009

If one were to conduct an examination of the history of solar power across the world, a couple of countries would emerge as those that have set the standard of growth. Over the last two decades Germany, the United States and Japan’s solar – or Photovoltaic (PV) – industries have distanced themselves from the international [...]

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Fed Govt calls early finish to $8k rebate, effective 9 June 09

June 9, 2009

Below is a copy of the media release just provided this morning by the Federal Government, announcing that it will cease taking applications for 8k rebate with immediate effect from today:
The Australian Government will today release the final legislation for the expanded Renewable Energy Target (RET) which will allow for the creation of new ‘Solar [...]

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WA govt backflip, feed in reward scheme for surplus solar energy only

June 2, 2009

Homeowners in WA have been dealt disappointing news today on solar energy feed in rewards … the state government has reneged on its promise to pay a gross feed in tariff/reward scheme.Instead a net feed in tariff, aligned with Victoria’s reward scheme – though more generous than SA and Queensland – will be introduced. While [...]

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Federal budget provides an inspiring boost for solar

May 26, 2009

The Federal Government announced in it’s 12 May 09 budget a new $1.5 billion investment in renewable energy, including a new $1.35 billion Solar Flagships program to construct up to four large scale solar power stations.
At a time of global economic turmoil, it’s encouraging that the Federal Govt views the solar energy and renewables industry [...]

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