Solar Choice Commercial Tenders Manager Iain McGregor has been gearing up over the past six 6 months in preparation for a swim across the English Channel, to take place between […]
Category: Federal Government solar panel incentives
Solar Choice Blog entries about Australian government Solar Power incentive schemes
Is Solar Power right for you in NSW?
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 […]
WA Solar Feed in Tariff Closed: What’s next?
–Update 22 August 2011: WA’s solar feed-in tariff scheme is closed to new applicants as of 31 July 2011. Currently, residential Synergy customers are eligible for a 7c/kWh Solar Buyback scheme, […]
ACT Solar Feed in Tariff Reopened to Small-scale systems
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 […]
WA 44c/kWh Feed-in Tariff scheme application deadline closes
(Information in this article may be out of date. Please check our WA archive page, or our Solar Feed-in Tariff overview page for up-to-date information.) –Update 22 August 2011: the WA solar feed-in tariff […]
SA feed in tariff changes: Results from parliamentary debate
South Australia now offers a rate of 23c/kWh for solar energy exported to the grid. For the most up-to-date information on South Australia Solar Feed-in Tariff incentive rates, see the […]
Solar Flagship Program Winners: Moree Solar Farm, Chinchilla CSP plant
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 […]
SA Feed-in Tariff: Rumours about sudden changes
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 […]
NSW govt reconfirms obligations to connect solar power systems to the grid
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, […]
Save Solar Power: National Industry Summit to be held in Sydney
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 […]
Some good news: Government drops retroactive solar NSW Solar Bonus Scheme reduction plans!
Unable to secure the votes required in the Upper House of Parliament, Premier Barry O’Farrell has abandoned plans to retroactively cut the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme 60c/kWh solar feed in […]
ACT feed-in tariff hits 15MW cap, scheme closed
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 […]
Victoria Feed-in Tariff: Things to know
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 […]
More Solar Power Industry responses to proposed NSW Solar Bonus Scheme changes
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 […]
NSW 60c FiT recipients: a portal to vent your discontent
Many Solar Choice customers who installed a solar energy installation in NSW on the 60c tariff are likely to be concerned by the NSW Govt’s attempt to retrospectively slash the […]
Solar power and renewables vs coal: Government subsidisation
With the recent furore over the NSW government’s decision to retroactively reduce the 60c/kWh solar power feed-in tariff, the issue of government subsidisation of energy resources has been brought to […]
Responses to NSW Solar Bonus Scheme Reduction
NSW and Australia’s solar power industry reacted with disappointment to Friday’s announcement from the NSW government that the previous NSW Solar Bonus Scheme60c/kWh Feed-in Tariff would be revoked and replaced […]
SOLAR SHOCK: Government announces retrospective NSW Solar Bonus Scheme Cuts
The NSW government has announced a drastic decision that, in addition to closing the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme feed-in tariff, would retrospectively reduce the NSW feed-in tariff for those already […]
Solar power in the federal budget: outcomes and changes
The budget for the Australian federal government for the next financial year was released this week. This article covers the changes to funding for solar power projects and policies across […]
Queensland solar power feed-in tariff: eligibility changes
Update 25 June 2012: The Queensland Solar Bonus Feed-in Tariff scheme will be reduced from 44c/kWh to 8c/kWh. Applications to connect to the grid must be submitted by midnight 9 July 2012. […]
Update: Solar Credits Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) Multiplier to fall to 3x from 5x
The Federal government has announced that the Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) Solar Credit multiplier for solar photovoltaic (PV) systems is to be reduced from 5x to 3x on 1 July […]
Performance-based RECs
The photovoltaics industry in Australia has recently been subject to two notably destabilising policy issues: on the federal level, falling REC prices, and on the NSW state level, the axing […]
Solar power in USA: the current state of play
People often wonder why the United States, the largest economy in the world and a nation world-renowned as a technology and research powerhouse, is not the global front-runner in the […]
RECs, STCs: The need for price stability (SMH)
The solar power industry is looking to the Federal government to provide some assurance over the price of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), known as Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs) for smaller, […]
How to install a solar panel mounting system on your roof
For most people who decide to mount solar panels on their roof, a mounting system is necessary. This short entry explains the basics of what needs to be taken into […]
What is grid parity and what does it mean for solar power?
Grid parity is often described as the holy grail for solar photovoltaics (solar PV or solar power) and other forms of renewable power generation. What is it, exactly? Grid parity […]
Solar-powered carports
The number of small, simple ways to put solar power to use in daily life seems virtually endless, and opportunities present themselves at every corner. Solar carports are one innovative […]
ACT Solar Feed-in Tariff to remain unchanged at $0.457/kWh
ACT residents who install solar power systems for the 2011-2012 financial year can expect the same generous feed-in tariff rate for systems classified as ‘small’ (read: residential) that was offered […]
BIPV: Building-integrated Photovoltaics, the future of PV
Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) is exactly what the name indicates: solar power generation modules that are integrated directly into a building in the place of ordinary building materials. BIPV differs in […]
Ever-improving PV technology dilemma: Should I wait to buy my solar array?
You are thinking about getting a solar PV system for your home, and in your research have come to understand what the major considerations are: your electricity demand and how […]
Solar Credit (REC) Multiplier to reduce from 5x to 4x from 1 July 2011
(Update: The information in this article is now out of date: according to an announcement by the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, the REC multiplier is set to […]
