Solar PV systems are already commonplace and affordable in Australia, and battery storage is getting there quickly as well. Increasingly, Australia’s solar homes are looking for ways to maximise the […]
Solar Choice site stats for 2016: Looking back on a stellar year
Rooftop solar is the energy of the people in Australia. In less than half a decade, solar panels have gone from being pricey ‘green bling’ to something that any home […]
Commercial Solar PV Price Index for January 2017
Average commercial solar system prices continue at about $1.25/W for the fourth month in a row, starting off the new year with no eventful news. Commercial solar system prices (10kW-100kW) […]
Residential Solar PV Price Index – January 2017
Average solar system prices for the new year continue to hover around $1.62/W, as they have for the past six months or so. Smaller systems (1.5kW – 2kW) continue to […]
Solar battery storage in Canberra, ACT
Battery storage for residential solar energy is becoming increasingly popular in Australia – including in Canberra, ACT. If you’re a Canberra resident looking to install a battery storage system for […]
Modelling from government advisor shows high RET may be cheapest option
Modelling from the federal government’s preferred energy market advisor reveals that a high renewable energy target offers the cheapest avenue for consumers to reach the country’s modest emissions reduction targets […]
NSW & QLD stand against reforms that could help keep prices down for consumers
The Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales are standing in the way of reforms that the Australian Energy Regulator says will help put a lid on network costs […]
100% renewable energy grid to provide robust supply of electricity
Another Australian study has reaffirmed that shifting the NEM to a 100 per cent renewable energy grid would provide a “robust, reliable and stable” supply of clean electricity. The discussion […]
Residential Solar PV Price Index – December 2016
Average solar PV system prices for December sit at roughly $1.62 per watt ($1.62/W). Average system prices in Australia have hovered around this price point since about July of 2016, […]
Commercial Solar PV Price Index for December 2016
Average commercial solar system prices saw virtually no change betwen November and December, according to data from the Solar Choice database. Prices have hovered around the $1.25 mark since September. […]
$100 million solar panel battery storage project to be developed in South Australia
A $100 million battery storage project is set to be developed in South Australia, in an effort to demonstrate that grid connected stationary energy storage can be a cheaper and […]
Will the federal incentive for rooftop solar end next year?
Judging by some of the advertisements we’ve come across, you might be forgiven for thinking that Australia’s federal rooftop solar incentives (under the Renewable Energy Target) were on their way […]
Rooftop Solar Subsidy to be reduced on 1 January 2017
An Australia-wide, upfront subsidy for rooftop solar systems is set to be reduced within a few weeks when the “deeming period” for solar systems declines from 15 years to 14 […]
Is a solar lease or solar PPA right for you?
See this recent article on Solar PPAs.. ‘Solar leasing’ deals have been the main facilitator of residential solar panel uptake in the United States, with the majority of systems being installed […]
Solar Choice manages tender for 1.77MW solar installation at Charles Sturt Uni
Charles Sturt University is to install one of the largest rooftop solar installations in Australia for its campus in Wagga Wagga, NSW. Solar Choice managed the competitive tender for the […]
Solar Choice brokers 100kW solar system for Balmoral Orchard in QLD
Solar Choice has managed the tender for a 100kW solar system for Balmoral Orchard, an avocado farm outside of Toowoomba, Queensland. The orchard’s manager first approached Solar Choice in May 2016 […]
CSIRO: Wind and Solar to provide nearly all Australia’s electricity needs by 2050
A major new study by the CSIRO and Energy Networks Australia says wind and solar will provide nearly all Australia’s electricity needs by 2050, and the system will be cheaper […]
Link to export solar from WA to Indonesia could be viable
The development of a 2000km sub-sea cable to supply Indonesia with solar power generated in Australia’s north-west has been described as financially viable and possible within the decade. The West […]
Solar power for homes: Still worth it in Australia?
Lots of things have changed in recent years with regard to solar power for homes. The business case for going solar – the investment-worthiness of solar panels – has quickly […]
Let’s talk about ‘energy throughput’: Should it replace battery ‘cycle life’?
Australians households are fairly solar-savvy lot. With a solar panel for every human being in the country, Australia is a world leader in solar uptake, and there’s tons of information online […]
A Change in market rules will help reduce wholesale energy prices
While the Coalition and the fossil fuel lobby has tried to use blackouts in South Australia as an excuse to go slow on renewables and abolish state-based targets, others are […]
Retailers achieve big win in battle for behind-the-meter market
Australia’s electricity retailers have won a major victory in the battle over access to the nation’s lucrative solar and battery storage market, after the Australian Energy Regulator effectively ruled networks […]
1kW solar PV systems: Pricing, output, returns
Should you install a 1 kilowatt (kW) solar system for your home? These days, 1kW solar system installations are relatively rare, as larger systems frequently offer better value for money […]
NSW Minister pushing for households to share energy with other households
New South Wales parliamentary secretary Adam Marshall wants to slash the development fees for large-scale renewable energy projects in the state. The Young National Party MLA told the North Coast […]
Blockchain network disruption soon to arrive – with Australian company at forefront
An Australian start-up has been named as a global leader in the development of “blockchain” technology in a report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance. The BNEF report named Perth-based company […]
Power vs energy in home battery storage systems
Different battery storage products have different specifications and capabilities, making them better or less well-suited for various applications. In this article we’ll talk about ‘power batteries’ vs ‘energy batteries’ – […]
Solar panel cleaning: Why, how & how often? (Q&A with Lime Solar Cleaning)
Should you clean your solar panels? If the answer is ‘yes’, then how often should you clean your solar panels – and what’s the best way to clean them? How […]
Battery storage take-up in Australia to snowball forward
A NSW-based community solar and battery storage bulk buy program has been so successful that the promoters believe the battery storage sector may be in the early stages of mass-market […]
Climate conspiracy gets hold of Senate as Coalition attacks coal opponents
Australia’s federal energy minister Josh Frydenberg has attacked “latte-sipping” opponents of coal mining in a day at Parliament that also featured vigorous debate questioning climate science in the Senate. Asked […]
Integrated solar roof tiles cheaper to install than regular roof, says Musk
Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk has suggested his newly launched integrated solar roof tiles could actually cost less to install than a regular roof – making the renewable electricity […]
Why depth of discharge matters in solar battery storage system selection
Depth of discharge (DoD) is one of the key figures to keep in mind when selecting batteries for a solar energy system. What is depth of discharge and how should […]
