The Greens have released a policy plan that aims to get 31,000 more electric vehicles on Australian roads by 2021 – up from little more than 1,000 now – and […]
Category: Solar Choice News
Solar Choice’s news service about local, national and global developments about solar photovoltaics and related technology.
Solar Choice visits one of the first Tesla Powerwall installations in Sydney’s Northern Beaches
Tesla’s Powerwall is the most well-known of the rapidly growing list of home battery storage devices in Australia which includes the likes of LG, Enphase, Aquion and a host of other […]
Australian Energy Storage Database (AESDB) to become ‘one stop shop’ for Aus storage project info
Yesterday the Australian Energy Storage Alliance (AESA) officially announced the launch of the Australian Energy Storage Database (AESDB), which will serve as the authoritative resource for existing and upcoming energy storage […]
A brain for your battery storage system: Q&A with Reposit Power
Reposit Power is a Canberra-based start-up that promises to be one of the key facilitators of Australia’s battery storage revolution. Their product is an $800 battery storage system control system […]
Renewables supply record 90% of German power demand, sending prices into the negative
Solar, wind, biomass and hydro energy combined to supply a record 90 per cent of Germany’s total power demand at times on Sunday 8 May, and sent power prices into […]
Australia’s Fulcrum3D launches CloudCAM into commercial market
Australian made cloud tracking technology that predicts cloud movements to help optimise the output of solar PV has successfully entered the commercial market. CloudCAM, developed by NSW company Fulcrum3D, uses […]
Australia misses out on ‘mountain of global cash’ as renewable target uncertainty continues
Australia is missing out on a “mountain of global cash” looking for alternative energy investments, a new report has found, thanks to continued renewable energy policy uncertainty, and the effect […]
Impact Investment Group purchases 11MW Williamsdale solar farm in ACT
A privately owned funds management company has bought an 11MW solar project in the Australian Capital Territory as part of a major push into the Australian solar market. Impact Investment […]
16.4% of Aus energy from renewables in last year, with 2.6% from rooftop solar
Rooftop solar now accounts for 2.6 per cent of Australia’s total electricity demand, or nearly 10 per cent of household electricity use, new data has shown. According to Hugh Saddler, […]
Introducing a (free) tool that allows solar homes to meaningfully compare retail electricity plans
Solar PV system owners – generally speaking – do not like their electricity retailers. Maybe it’s just the sense of independence they get from generating a portion of their own […]
Labor pledges to reinstate ARENA funds if elected
Labor has put climate change and renewable energy firmly on its economic agenda in its budget reply, while also re-opening the door to re-instating funds to the Australia Renewable Energy […]
Gov’t removal of ARENA’s grant-funding powers means bigger ‘valley of death’ for new technologies
The federal government’s decision to remove the grant-funding ability the Australian Renewable Energy Agency will make it harder for new technologies to bridge the “valley of death”, an Agency adviser […]
Residential Solar PV Price Index – May 2016
Based on data from Solar Choice’s installer network database, the average price of per watt of a fully installed residential solar system in Australia as of May 2016 is about […]
LG introduces new two-sided, 60-cell, 300 watt solar panel
LG Solar has introduced a high-efficiency bifacial solar panel with a peak capacity of 300 watts and a total output capacity equivalent to 375W. The 60-cell NeON 2 BiFacial panel is the […]
Greens propose federal incentive for home battery storage
More than one million Australian households would install heavily discounted battery storage over the next five years under a scheme proposed by the Greens, as part of a new policy […]
GCL Poly launches multi-colour battery storage solution for Aus market
The world’s biggest supplier of silicon and solar cells, GCL Poly, has launched its new battery storage product onto the Australian market, taking on Tesla, LG, Enphase and a host of […]
Coal plant closures would have ‘negligible’ impact on electricity prices: RepuTex
Shutting down Australia’s dirtiest coal-fired power plants as soon as 2017 would have a “negligible” effect on electricity prices, a new report has found. The analysis, by energy and emissions […]
Greens propose plan to wean Australia off coal
A seven-point policy plan to wean the Australian economy and electricity network off coal, has been unveiled by the Greens, including an immediate ban on all new coal and gas […]
Energex proposes ban on use of batteries, AC units & other white goods during ‘off-peak’ periods
Queensland government-owned network operator Energex has proposed banning battery storage, air conditioning and appliances such as washing machines and clothes dryers from off peak loads in a move that has […]
‘Maximum demand’ tariffs could speed arrival of mass market for battery storage
The point of mass uptake of battery storage in Australia may be closer than most people think, according to a new survey, although it would require a different tariff structure […]
Solar Choice brokers 1.2MW of Solar for Doug Hall Poultry Farm
Solar Choice Commercial has brokered a total of 1.2MW of solar for Doug Hall Poultry across multiple sites including a large-scale ground mounted system. The company also has two 100kW […]
ACT Enviro Minister Simon Corbell to be opening speaker at Renewable Cities Australia Forum
The Australian Capital Territory’s Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for the Environment Simon Corbell will be the keynote speaker at Australia’s inaugural Renewable Cities Australia Forum, which will be held alongside […]
Large-scale solar developers get a leg up through ARENA knowledge sharing
Putting more renewable energy generation on the ground is one of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency’s core objectives, and one of its first tasks upon its formation in 2012 was […]
Labor promises to earmark $206m for CEFC and ARENA
Labor would dedicate $206 million to the development of solar towers and storage arrays, as part of its recently released policy plan to boost the role of the Clean Energy […]
Melbourne launches tender for large-scale renewable energy plant
A consortium of large energy users led by the City of Melbourne led has launched a call for tenders to develop a large-scale renewable energy plant, from which they will […]
Melbourne suburb to go off grid with solar and energy storage
A first-of-its kind trial in Australia will take part of a Melbourne suburb completely off grid using rooftop solar and battery storage. The trial planned by Victorian network operator Ausnet […]
Australia should lead on residential battery storage, as it has with solar: Hunt
Federal environment minister Greg Hunt says Australia should lead the world in the adoption of battery storage, in the same way it has done with rooftop solar. “Solar and storage […]
FlexiGroup introduces Australia’s first green bonds
A landmark issue of green Asset Backed Securities, a type of bond, has been made by Australian based credit finance group FlexiGroup, raising $50 million to refinance residential rooftop solar […]
Lismore City Council announces tender for ‘floating solar plant’
The northern New South Wales city of Lismore has called for tenders for a “floating solar plant” that will be community owned and installed on top of one a settling […]
Melbourne Uni announces tender for 2MW of solar across VIC campuses
The University of Melbourne has called for tenders to install close to 2MW of rooftop solar across its Victorian campuses. The tender, issued on Monday by the University’s Infrastructure Services, […]
Neighbourhood battery storage pilot program launched in WA suburb of Alkimos Beach
Rooftop solar and battery storage could soon become standard features of new residential housing developments, depending on the success of a ground-breaking community-scale solar and energy storage trial in Western […]
