In an interesting case of biomimicry, scientists at Stanford University and the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have designed a new electrode material for lithium-ion batteries using silicon nanoparticles clustered like […]
Climate Change Authority throws what weight it has behind the RET
Like the Carbon Tax, the fate of the Climate Change Authority (CCA) is more or less sealed, with the federal government having vowed to dismantle it once it gains control […]
With next phase of large-scales renewable scheme underway, ACT doubles target to 550MW
The Australian Capital Territory has stepped up its efforts to make renewable energy a reality, with plans to double the cap on its reverse-auction feed-in tariff for large-scale renewable projects […]
IEA says renewables cost-competitive with new-build fossil fuel plants in OECD nations
Solar and wind energy can play major roles in transforming and decarbonising the world’s electricity grids, and at little extra cost, according to the International Energy Agency. The IEA, a […]
The environmental impacts of coal power: The tale of Beijing, China and Morwell, Vic
The use of coal fired power has spawned an entire coal generation lasting more than 100 years. It got the industrial revolution going, has lit up our homes, powers our […]
Fossil fuel subsidies vs renewable energy subsidies in Australia: Get the facts
It seems that around the world with increasing regularity, we hear complaints from opponents of solar energy that “solar subsidies are too generous”. Without doubt, solar has received support over […]
Bill Gates-backed renewables storage battery begins production
Attracting the attention – and money – of Bill Gates is a big deal. But Aquion Energy, a battery technology start-up, has managed to woo not just the world’s richest […]
39% of Australians think Renewable Energy Target is ‘about right’, 25% ‘too low’ according to poll
The federal government’s ire towards Australia’s Renewable Energy Target (RET) appears to be seriously out of proportion with public sentiment regarding the incentive scheme, if the results of an Essential […]
2 new utility-scale solar power plants approved for Nevada and California
Solar panel manufacturer & solar project developer First Solar has finally received approval from the US Department of the Interior to build 2 utility-scale solar PV projects totaling 550MW in […]
Solar with energy storage already reaching grid price parity in some areas: RMI
A new study from the Rocky Mountain Institute finds that parity for rooftop solar and energy storage is closer than anyone thinks – in fact for some states in the […]
New, no-penetration solar panel mounting system for gable rooftops: SolarPod
Home owners with old or delicate sloped/gable roofs often hesitate to install solar panels on their roof. They worry that penetrating the roof may lead to water leakage or that […]
Brazil’s Solair will manufacture solar panels & inverters domestically
Brazilian solar installation company & PV project developer Brasil Solair has plans to set up shop domestically in order to take advantage of the market expected to grow thanks to […]
Nearly half of the global 95GW solar PV plant pipeline comprised of projects no larger than 5MW
Medium-sizes power plants will account for nearly half of the new solar PV capacity to be built in the world’s leading solar markets over the next few years, according market […]
Tesla battery factory could be game-changer for energy storage affordability
In a letter to shareholders about the company’s earnings, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk announced plans for the electric vehicle manufacturer to begin producing its own battery cells at a […]
AVANCIS achieves record thin-film module efficiency of 16.6% using CIS technology
Riding on the back of recent advances in research, copper-indium-selenide (CIS) technology has received a shot in the arm with a new record efficiency – this time with commercial implications. […]
India’s Vikram Solar granted Tier 1 manufacturer status: Bloomberg New Energy Finance
Vikram Solar, an Indian PV module manufacturer, has achieved tier 1 status in the eyes of Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF). The company, which has been producing panels since 2006, is among […]
Benefits of rooftop solar to the electricity grid are clearly visible in South Australia
New data revealed by the network operator shows that the amount of rooftop solar installations has surged in South Australia, and it is having a real impact in shifting the […]
Germany to build world’s first modular, multi-technology battery storage system
Can’t decide on which battery technology to use for your next big energy storage project? Well, now you can use them all! A consortium consisting of researchers, an electric utility, […]
New research suggests roadmap for more efficient organic solar cells
A joint US-Belgian, multi-university research effort has shed light into the fundamentals of a key efficiency-boosting mechanism in organic solar cells. Researchers from Pennsylvania State University in collaboration with IMEC, […]
Origin Energy reports fall in energy earnings, citing solar PV, warm winter & energy efficient homes as main causes
The growing impact of solar PV on incumbent utilities has again been highlighted, this time in the results of Australia’s biggest “gentailer” Origin Energy. The company revealed in its half […]
Solar feed-in tariff rates for Queensland 2014: 7.55c/kWh for Brisbane & surrounds, variable elsewhere
The Queensland Competition Authority (QCA) has released its final report detailing its recommendations for solar feed-in tariff rates to be paid through the state’s Solar Bonus Scheme for 2014. Not […]
Gum-like electrolyte makes Li-ion batteries safer
An icky-sticky wad of chewing gum under your shoe is definitely annoying, but what makes gum sticky may soon keep your laptop or grid storage battery from exploding. Researchers at Washington […]
REC Agents Association analysis: Renewable Energy Target helps reduce power bills for everyone
The solar industry has launched its campaign to save industry incentives by releasing a new analysis that demonstrates the cost of the those incentives on household bills is effectively zero. […]
NRDC and US utilities team up in calling for additional fees for rooftop solar system owners
In response to more families solar-powering their homes, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has joined forces with US power utilities in a petition to charge these consumers a fixed […]
With Renewable Energy Target review underway, solar industry takes facts into battle
The review of the federal Renewable Energy Target is now officially underway–and it will be ‘extensive’. The government, having made clear on numerous occasions its intentions of eliminating ‘green tape’ […]
In a first, Tindo Solar exports Australian-made panels to India
Tindo Solar, the South Australia-based company that lays claim to the title of ‘Australia’s only solar panel manufacturer’, has recently begun shipping orders of solar panels to India. If all […]
New silicone-based AR coating promises 7% higher PV energy output
Glass anti-reflection coatings have been the low-hanging fruit for improving PV module efficiencies, but reaching for it requires the right mix of low-cost approaches and smart science. Researchers at the […]
Solar power for Chernobyl exclusion zone
Chernobyl is notorious as the site of the world’s worst nuclear power disaster. The 1986 explosion and meltdown in the Ukraine released vast quantities or radiation over the USSR and […]
Solar Choice now offering 2nd commercial solar PV finance package
Commercial solar power is one of the fastest-growing sectors for the solar industry in Australia, with more and more businesses turning to solar photovoltaic (PV) technology to insulate themselves against rising electricity […]
Suntech’s Professor Zhenrong Shi visits the Solar Choice office
Solar Choice was recently approached by Suntech to arrange a visit for the company’s founder Dr Zhenrong Shi–one of the most widely-recognised names in the global solar industry–to the Solar […]
USA’s SunPower realises falling costs through improved manufacturing efficiencies
Top solar PV manufacturers are still reporting large gains in efficiency and manufacturing processes that are delivering cost reductions of 20 per cent or more a year. It is widely […]
