The Victoria Competition and Efficiency Commission (VCEC) has released its draft report on its inquiry into Victoria’s Feed-in Tariffs, recommending sweeping changes that will effectively eliminate state government subsidisation for small- […]
Tag: Solar Choice Company News
Solar Flagships’ Solar Dawn Consortium re-states its case to Queensland Government
Queensland’s proposed Solar Dawn concentrating solar power plant has vowed to carry on despite the newly elected Liberal-National government’s vows to withdraw funding from the project. Under the previous Labour regime, […]
Scotland beats its own renewable energy target, expects lower electricity prices in the future
35% of the electricity generated in Scotland came from renewable sources in 2011, according to figures published by the UK’s Department of Energy and Climate Change. This puts Scotland ahead […]
90kW solar catamaran completes journey around the world
An ambitious project showcasing the potential of solar PV has just come to a close. Pulling into Monaco on 4 May 2012, MS Turanor PlanetSolar catamaran has become the first […]
Hybrid solar PV-geothermal power plant online in Nevada
A unique hybrid geothermal-solar photovoltaics (PV) plant is now producing power in Churchill County, Nevada. Although Nevada is home to a number of geothermal power plants, the hybrid Stillwater plant […]
Japan closes last nuclear plant, clearing the way for solar PV
The last remaining operational nuclear power plant in Japan has been shut down for routine maintenance and testing, leaving the country nuclear-free for the first time in over 40 years. […]
World-wide solar PV peak body founded: Global Solar Council
A number of major players from the global solar photovoltaics (PV) industry have announced the formation of a Global Solar Council (GSC). The goal of the GSC’s establishment is to […]
Origin Energy: Reduce the Renewable Energy Target
Origin Energy CEO Grant King has suggested that Australia should consider reducing its target of 20% renewable energy production by 2020 under the Federal Government’s Renewable Energy Target (RET). Thanks […]
Big Solar Power for Port Augusta, SA
Renewable Energy thinktank Beyond Zero Emissions (BZE) has called for Port Augusta, South Australia’s ageing Playford B and Northern coal-fired power plants, which currently provide roughly 40% of […]
Queensland Government vows to halt domestic electricity price rises for 12 months
The Queensland government, under the new Liberal Premier Cameron Newman, has vowed to put an end to electricity price hikes for 12 months, beginning 1 July 2012. The staying of […]
Largest wind turbine in the world installed off coast of Belgium
A wind turbine with a rated capacity of 6.15 megawatts (MW)–the largest in the world–has been installed off the Belgian coast. Altogether, 48 wind turbines of this size […]
Australia to see 37% average rise in electricity prices by 2014
The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) has released a comprehensive review of the future of electricity prices across Australia. This report lends substance to speculation about the topic of energy […]
Victoria 60c Premium Solar Feed-in Tariff closed. New transitional rate: 25c
The Victoria State government’s Premium Solar Feed-in Tariff (PFIT) program closed on 30 September 2011. A rate of 25c for every kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity is still available for those […]
NSW Solar Update: IPART terms of reference released for next feed-in tariff
The NSW government bureaucratic machinery has been set into motion to determine what will be “a fair price for solar power”–‘fair’ depending of course on whose interests you happen to […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 grid price parity through BoS cost reductions
In a previous Solar choice blog entry, we discussed the meaning of grid price parity (or grid parity) and why it is such an important goal in the solar power […]
43kW of Solar Panels to come to Australian Parliament House
Parliament is soon to be decked out with its own photovoltaic array, as part of the federal government’s efforts to identify and implement solutions to move into a low-carbon future […]
Leading Solar Power towns are found in regional Australia
As part of Clean Energy Week, the Clean Energy Council has issued a list of the top 20 postcodes for residential solar power in Australia. The ranking was compiled based […]
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 […]
First international solar-powered flight
The Swiss-engineered Solar Impulse is set to make its first international flight on 2 May 2011 (yesterday in Australia as of the time of this writing, but today in Switzerland!) […]
NSW Government suspends Solar Bonus (feed-in tariff) Scheme
Energy Minister Chris Hartcher announced this afternoon that the NSW government, facing a budget deficit, has put the Solar Bonus Scheme on ice as of midnight 28 April 2011 due to fears […]
3kW solar power system donated to Melbourne Citymission for Clean Energy Week
The Clean Energy Council National Conference has combined with the annual ATRAA (Appropriate Technology Retailers of Australia) conference for the first ever ‘Clean Energy Week’, a conference for Australia’s clean […]
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 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 […]
Remote power rebate axed on 22 June 09, except for WA
The Federal Government announced yesterday that the Renewable Remote Power Generation Program (RRPGP) – that provided a 50% subsidy for off grid solar and wind power – is now closed […]
