Australia’s iconic Sydney Opera House has inked a deal to source its electricity from a major wind farm and a large solar project, and may add batteries later, in a […]
Inverter maker SolarEdge adds “smart panels” to rooftop offering
Israel-based inverter maker SolarEdge has branched into the other key ingredient to rooftop solar systems – the panels – with the launch of its own PV offering on the Australian […]
A Virtual Power Plant case study: Vermont USA
As Solar Choice is currently undertaking the early stage preparations and structuring for a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) that can be made available for household, commercial and government premises across […]
Backup power with home solar battery storage: What are your options?
Home battery storage is becoming increasingly popular in Australia, and one of the most in-demand features is backup power, which provides electricity to a home even when the grid is […]
Off the grid: AEMC paves way for stand alone systems to replace poles and wires
Australia’s energy market rule-maker has paved the way for network operators to deliver stand-alone power systems based around solar and batteries that will deliver big savings to all consumers. A […]
Australia to reach 50% renewables by 2030, despite Coalition scare campaign
Booming rooftop solar uptake and a big pipeline of large-scale wind and solar project are likely to deliver 50 per cent renewables for Australia by 2030, despite the Coalition’s policy […]
Why doesn’t my electricity retailer give me a 25c solar feed-in tariff?
Why don’t retailers offer higher solar feed-in rates? Does it matter if feed-in tariff rates are low? What are some of the alternative approaches to conventional feed-in tariffs that are beginning […]
9 things you should know if you’re considering home battery-storage
For several years now, home solar battery storage has been a hot topic in Australia, and 2019 looks set to be the best year yet for batteries. If you’re actively […]
New LONGi 430W panel unveiled in Australia
LONGi was the major sponsor of the CEC Large Scale Solar Forum in Brisbane last Thursday 16th May 2019. During the event LONGi’s 430W Hi–MO4 module was launched to the […]
Infigen buys first gas plant to support more cheap renewables
Infigen Energy has taken steps to bolster its portfolio of “cheap renewables” with the purchase of a 109MW “peaking” gas plant in NSW. Infigen said on Thursday it had purchased […]
Redflow lands potentially massive battery supply deal with Soul Energy
Energy storage company Redflow has inked a deal with New Zealand-based infrastructure outfit Soul Energy, that could yield order for hundreds of its zin bromine flow batteries. The ASX Redflow […]
Expanding an existing solar system with more panels and/or batteries? Know your options
There are nearly 2 million Australian households with solar panels installed on their roofs. Many of these households would like to add more solar and/or batteries to their systems, but […]
Commercial Solar PV Price Index for May 2019
Changes in the composition of Solar Choice’s commercial solar installer network, combined with price updates from several companies have resulted in a slight downwards shift in average dollar per watt […]
Residential Solar PV Price Index – May 2019
Average residential solar system prices have increased to $1.17 per watt ($/W) this month on the back of several factors, including changes to the composition of the Solar Choice installer […]
Tesla big battery lifts revenues 20% in first quarter, Neoen eyes more storage
The Tesla big battery in South Australia has lifted its revenues by 20 per cent in the first three months of 2019, off the back of stronger frequency control and […]
Scientists edge closer to stable, cheap green hydrogen production
The inexpensive industrial production of green hydrogen from Australia’s abundant renewable energy generation resources has edged closer to reality, after a breakthrough by scientists at Victoria’s Monash University. The “critically […]
Why solar will leave coal for dead
– This is a copy of an article written by Rory McGuire and sent to the Sydney Morning Herald. Rory is a Sydney journalist who has been watching the solar […]
Queensland councils say solar rule change will kill regional jobs
A new Queensland regulation that will restrict the installation of solar panels on projects of 100kW and over to licensed electricians only, has come under fire from local governments. The […]
Rooftop solar installs charge on – possible speed humps ahead
Australian homes and businesses installed a total of 157MW of residential and commercial solar in the month of April, marking a drop in volume from March, thanks mainly to the […]
Labor to invest $1B into School Solar Virtual Power Plants
Solar energy has been rapidly taken up by schools aiming to manage their growing energy bills with the majority of consumption matching sunlight hours. Participating schools would have solar and […]
NT Rooftop solar for Schools
The Northern Territory Labor Government is delivering on one of its election commitments, with the $5 million Rooftop Solar in Schools program. The program will be delivered to selected schools […]
Time of use vs flat rate electricity tariffs with solar & batteries
If you’re connected to the grid and own your home, you pay for electricity. In most places, in Australia, there are basically two types of tariffs: Flat rate tariffs (aka ‘peak […]
On the Road to a Greener Future with Smart Use of Cars, Energy, Palm Oil and Plastic
There’s a lot of negativity when it comes to environmental predictions on a global basis – we are flooded with plastics or other waste, we contribute to deforestation by consuming […]
Wind, solar push South Australia prices below zero for almost six hours
Wholesale electricity prices in South Australia dipped into negative territory for nearly six hours on Tuesday, thanks to a combination of strong wind and solar energy output in the state, […]
Don’t stop us now: Open letter to politicians from clean energy industry
Renewable energy industry peak body the Clean Energy Council has published an open letter to Coalition and Labor Party politicians in the lead-up to the federal election, calling for bipartisan […]
The real obstacle to integrating storage into the grid
When it comes to integrating new energy storage technologies with the grid, what’s standing in the way? According to Robert Morgan, CEO of Energy Storage at GE Renewable Energy, the […]
Solar takes biggest chunk out of grid emissions over summer
Australia’s booming rooftop and large-scale solar markets are being credited for the ongoing fall in electricity sector emissions – one of the only bright spots in Australia’s otherwise disappointing climate […]
Westpac taps NSW solar farm in shift to 100% renewables
Westpac has committed to source the equivalent of 100 per cent of its power needs from renewable energy resources by 2025, starting with a power purchase agreement with the Bomen […]
ACT Government: Actsmart Business Energy and Water Program
The ACT government’s ‘Business Energy and Water Program’ aims to assist eligible ACT businesses that want to upgrade to more water-efficient and energy-efficient technologies, including solar, lighting, appliances, heating or […]
Australian-designed ‘Solpod’ creating a buzz in the Commercial solar market
An Australian solar start-up company is looking to shake up the commercial solar market in Australia with its pre-fabricated rooftop solar systems. Melbourne based Solpod has developed a way to […]
Tesla wants grid blue-print to reflect lower battery costs, greater flexibility
Tesla has called on the Australian grid operator to change the nation’s 20-year grid blue-print to reflect rapid technology developments in battery storage, including the rapidly falling cost of the […]
