The cost of utility-scale solar in Australia will halve over the next five years, making it cheaper than wind energy by 2020, according to predictions from one of the world’s […]
FRV suggests energy storage ‘multiplier’ incentive to encourage renewables, reduce peak demand
Spanish renewables group, FRV, has suggested the introduction of a form of banding, or a “multiplier,” to encourage the development of energy storage. FRV suggests a multiplier could be applied […]
Elephants and baboons go solar as Solar Choice manages project tender for Melbourne Zoo
Two of the Melbourne Zoo’s most iconic animals have some of the greenest digs on the campus, thanks to the brokering efforts of Solar Choice Commercial. Managing a tender of […]
Florida woman evicted for off-grid living, while QLD utilities move to encourage it
A Florida woman was served orders to vacate her own home for not being to connected to water or electricity mains, according to OffTheGridNews. The woman, Ms Robin Speronis, made […]
‘Talesun Smart’ PV modules provide integrated real-time performance monitoring
Zhongli Talesun Solar has released a new range of PV modules with real-time module-level performance monitoring at SNEC 2014, International Photovoltaic Power Generation Conference and Exhibition. This is another welcome […]
Tofu-based solution could solve toxicity, cost issues in solar panel production
Liverpool University says it has found a way to use chemicals found in tofu to make solar panels cheaper and safer, in what it is claiming as a major breakthrough. […]
ACIL Allen’s RET modelling shows homes & businesses could install 14GW+ of solar by 2040
Australian households will likely invest $30 billion in rooftop solar in the coming decades, assuming the major share of investment in the country’s transition to clean energy. Modelling conducted by consulting […]
Rooftop PV has added benefit of passive cooling: UCSD study
A study by the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) has concluded that PV modules keep buildings significantly cooler in summer through passive solar cooling. The UCSD researchers concluded that […]
Palmer’s backing of the RET ensures scheme’s survival, but cuts still likely
After several oscillations, Clive Palmer has suddenly (and apparently wholeheartedly) thrown his party’s backing behind Australia’s embattled Renewable Energy Target, currently the nation’s most important remaining support scheme for renewables. […]
Half of Germany’s afternoon electricity demand came from solar panels on 6 June
Germany’s solar panels produced a record 24.24GW of electricity in on Friday 6 June 2014, retrospective analysis by the Fraunhofer ISE research institute has revealed. Another record was set on the […]
ACIL Allen report on Renewable Energy Target bodes ill for Australian solar industry
The Australian solar industry is in grave fear about its future, following the release of various scenarios from ACIL Allen, the company doing the modeling for the Abbott government’s review […]
Australia in danger of becoming a renewable energy ‘laggard’ globally if RET is cut
The world’s largest solar manufacturer, Yingli Green Energy, has warned Australia that the maintenance of the Renewable Energy Target is crucial for the ongoing business and future stability of the […]
New solar connection guidelines for Queensland come into effect from 1 July
From 1 July 2014 Queensland’s two state-owned electricity network companies, Ergon and Energex, will jointly implement new standards for new solar system owners seeking to connect to the grid. The […]
‘SmartWire’ cell interconnection technology to be manufactured in Poland
Meyer Burger’s innovative ‘SmartWire Connection Technology’ is set for manufacture in Poland, through a partnership with Freevolt and Hanplast, the largest European supplier for IKEA. The technology, acquired through Day4 […]
What NSW’s 2014-15 benchmark feed-in tariff rates mean for solar homes
NSW’s Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) last week released the benchmark rates for solar feed-in tariffs in the state for the year 2014-2015. The range for rates, which are […]
When Less is More: New Lightweight Modules Can Provide Significant Cost Savings
Silicon Valley-based ‘Giga Solar’ have released commercially-sized solar PV modules weighing as low as 2.3 kg. The Giga Solar composite structure eliminates the use of industry‑standard glass for module encapsulation. […]
SolarCity chief says solar growth will be ‘infinite’ once grid parity is reached
SolarCity CEO Lyndon Rive has forecast ‘infinite’ growth in the global solar market, as soon as unsubsidised solar PV is able to generate energy at a lower cost than traditional […]
Aussie investors Southern Cross Ventures back US solar-plus-storage startup
A leading US developer of battery storage and energy management systems has gained backing from Australian cleantech investment fund Southern Cross Venture Partners. Southern Cross led a $15 million fundraising […]
Sunshine Coast Council shows support for solar in RET Review submission
Queensland’s Sunshine Coast Council has predicted that local governments could lead significant growth in Australia’s utility-scale solar market, developing projects to protect themselves and their ratepayers against rising electricity prices. […]
Renewable energy policy uncertainty holding Australia back in global solar boom
Renewable energy policy uncertainty threatens to put Australia even further behind the global solar pace, according to the comments from within two of the booming industry’s biggest players. In an […]
NSW’s recommended solar feed-in tariff rates fall slightly in final IPART report
The volatility of Australia’s solar support mechanisms has been illustrated afresh this week, with NSW again lowering the recommended feed-in tariff price for rooftop PV in the state. NSW’s Independent […]
Shady Deals at MIT a Benefit to Solar PV
A team of students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has won US$225,000 for developing an integrated chip that can recover up to twice as much wasted energy from […]
New chemical breakthrough with stabilised lithium could enable safer, cheaper Lithium-ion batteries
While many contend that lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries may be replaced with other, more promising battery technologies in the long run, incremental improvements continue to keep Li-ion relevant with promises of […]
Dark times for PV may mean good things for Australian solar industry
Natcore Technology has taken one step towards enabling the commercial production of its low‑cost black silicon solar cells by conducting batch testing at one of the world’s largest photovoltaic manufacturers, […]
‘Solar Tree’ Carports and EV charging stations installed in USA rollout
Envision Solar International’s ‘Solar Tree’ PV mounting and tracking system will be deployed nationwide in all outdoor car parks for a major US department store chain. The name of the […]
Aussie solar growth continues with Queensland leading on residential installs
The Australian solar market is still showing signs of healthy growth, according to the latest report for Green Energy Markets, with a rising share of commercial based systems, particularly in […]
How to get the most out of your solar PV system part 1: System sizing & power usage
Anyone who has done some investigation into having solar panels installed in Australia should by now understand that the whole endeavour only makes economic sense if the home in question […]
Hazelwood coal plant operator’s RET submission says solar PV still uneconomical
The owner of one of Australia’s dirtiest coal-fired power plants has argued that the cost of solar PV is unlikely to fall in future years, due to falling profitability of […]
Aussie rooftop solar now 5% of total generation capacity: IEA
Rooftop solar PV now accounts for around 5 per cent of electricity capacity and 2 per cent of electricity generation in Australia, according to a report from the International Energy […]
Commercial PV Price Index – June 2014
Solar Choice’s Commercial PV Price Index is published monthly to provide a glimpse into national pricing trends among solar systems 10kW-100kW in capacity in Australia’s major cities, and as a complement […]
Developing nations drive global renewables growth with strong policy
Developing nations are driving new global renewables growth, with increasing numbers of governments around the world adopting strong policy mechanisms to boost renewable energy uptake and innovation, a new report […]
