America’s second-largest PV manufacturer, SunPower, is set to test its rooftop solar leasing program in Australia, with the launched this week of a pilot program in Melbourne. The Nasdaq-listed solar […]
Coalition would need to ‘get the Greens convinced’ in order to abolish RET: Palmer
In an encouraging sign that he will not be backing down (or backflipping) on his promise to support the Renewable Energy Target (RET), Clive Palmer has sarcastically commented that the Coalition will […]
Solar PV and renewables save water
A report released last month by the CNA Corporation think-tank has detailed the massive reductions in water usage that solar PV and other renewable energy technologies enable. Often disregarded as […]
Solar panels & energy storage: What to consider
Energy storage is an option whose appeal is growing globally–and Australia is no exception. But energy storage is seldom considered as an option in isolate: the vast majority of those […]
Silex Systems, citing RET uncertainty, suspends plans for Mildura 100MW demo CPV plant
Plans for a first-of-its-kind, 100MW concentrated solar power plant in Mildura have been shelved, after the Australian Renewable Energy Agency agreed with the project’s developer to withdraw funding. The plant, […]
Government still looking to scrap RET rather than ‘compromise’ and weaken it: Financial Review
The Australian Financial Review, in a front-page article on the topic, says that the Prime Minister and his closest cohorts still harbour intentions of scrapping the Renewable Energy Target (RET) […]
Sharp enters energy storage market with SmartStorage
In a major boost to the growing market for grid and renewable energy storage, Japanese PV manufacturer, Sharp, has recently debuted a new grid connect energy storage solution dubbed ‘SmartStorage’. […]
Citigroup: Energy diversification a necessity, solar’s rise a certainty
A leading investment bank has predicted a bright future for the global solar market, with continued rapid expansion driven by “pure economics.” In a new report from Citigroup, the bank […]
ARENA to put $450k towards development of Aussie-designed portable hybrid solar generator
An Australian-designed, off-grid renewables solution is a step closer to being realised, after winning further funding from ARENA. The Australian Renewable Energy Association has announced it will put $450,000 towards […]
Record efficiency for UCLA ‘plastic’ tandem solar cell
Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) have set a new record for organic polymer solar cells, with a device efficiency of 11.5%. The record-breaking ‘plastic’ solar cell […]
16,000 new rooftop solar systems installed in July 2014, including 14MW commercial capacity
More than 16,000 Australian households and businesses installed rooftop solar systems in July, adding a total of 70MW of small-scale PV capacity to the national total. The latest data from […]
Setting a record, South Australian renewables met half of state’s electricity demand in July
Solar power and wind energy combined to produce nearly half of South Australia’s electricity demand during the month of July – a record for a major developed economy. Data shows […]
Phinergy extends electric car range with metal-air battery technology
Phinergy, an Israeli battery technology start-up, and aluminium producer, Alcoa, have recently revealed a prototype electric car with a 1,100-mile driving range that is powered by Phinergy aluminium-based metal-air battery […]
Commercial PV Price Index – August 2014
August 2014 marks the 4th month that Solar Choice has published pricing data for commercial solar PV systems (10kW, 30kW, 50kW, 100kW). As of yet there has been little fluctuation […]
UNSW solar car sets new speed record
The ‘Sunswift’ solar car team, comprised of engineering students from the University of NSW (UNSW), have set a new record for the fastest electric vehicle (EV) over a distance of […]
Solar PV Price Index – August 2014
Average solar system prices continued with little fluctuation between July and August. Although some regional variability was still observable, numbers held remarkably steady in all cities and across all system […]
Sonnenbatterie energy storage systems
Sonnenbatterie is a German manufacturer of energy storage devices with a focus on electricity self-sufficiency. The company, whose name means ‘solar battery’ in German, offers products that not only store […]
China ups solar PV capacity target to 13GW, with focus on distributed generation
China has flagged a new national solar installation target of 13GW for 2014, a target it hopes to meet through the development of distributed PV generation. The new target – […]
Solar Choice’s 22kW demo system to tackle voltage rise, integrate energy storage
As a demonstration project for Solar Choice’s 80,000 residential solar customers on how to maximise roof potential for solar energy despite restrictions from utilities, Solar Choice’s Managing Director, Angus Gemmell, […]
With Moree Solar Farm’s future secured, ‘great opportunities’ await NSW large-scale solar
Moree Solar Farm, the ground-breaking 56MW PV tracking plant slated for development in the NSW farming district, is set to begin construction within months after finally securing financial closure this week. […]
Areva announces withdrawal from solar thermal business, leaving questions about Australian projects
French nuclear giant Areva has announced that it is pulling the plug on its solar thermal business, citing weak sales and falling revenues across nuclear and renewables. The move casts […]
Moree Solar Farm reaches financial close, construction to begin ‘immediately’
One of the largest solar farms in Australia’s pipeline has reached financial close and will begin construction immediately, according to a press release from its developer, FRV. Moree Solar Farm […]
Indian ‘ultra-mega’ projects set to help drive down solar costs
The Indian government has signed up to a plan to help fund some of the world’s largest solar PV parks across, increasing the energy poor nation’s total solar capacity by […]
SunPower to offer commercial energy storage solution in Australia in 2015
Commercial energy storage systems could hit the Australian market as soon as next year, according to leading US solar company SunPower. SunPower, one of the world’s biggest PV module manufacturers […]
World’s largest floating solar PV system planned for India
India’s National Hydro Power Corporation is planning to construct the world’s largest floating solar installation, with a peak capacity of 50MW. A large lake in the South-Indian state of Kerala has been […]
RET report delayed as review panel asks for extension; renewables industry continues to hold its breath
The panel tasked with reviewing the Renewable Energy Target (RET) has requested an extension to complete its final report, according to the Australian Financial Review. The report, which was originally […]
Electricity pricing structures must change to prevent mass grid defection: Energetics
Electricity utilities and network operators risk sending Australia’s rooftop solar households off-grid in droves if pricing signals remained unchanged, a solar and energy storage expert has warned. Gordon Weiss, from […]
One of Australia’s largest solar developers faces insolvency
One of Australia’s largest and most prominent solar developers faces collapse after being placed in the hands of administrators late last week. According to ASIC documents, the business and its […]
APVI adds PV system output estimator to suite of solar maps
Australian households will now be able to estimate their rooftop’s potential for solar PV before installing a system, thanks to a new online modelling tool created by the Australian PV […]
CEFC earmarks $120 million for solar leasing in Australia
The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC), after surviving another government attempt to legislate its dismantling, has announced $120 million worth of financing for solar leasing deals and Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) in […]
Understanding physics of plastic solar cells key for cheap, flexible PV
Recent work published by researchers from the University of Montreal, Imperial College London and the University of Cyprus have shed light on the physics of how ‘plastic’ polymeric semiconductor solar […]
