Even taking into account the overhead cost of purchasing a solar power system, the price of solar has for the first time dipped below below that of coal-fired generation in certain parts of New South Wales, according to new data.
Solar Power and price competitiveness
The of the increased price competitiveness of solar power in NSW versus conventional coal-fired generation does not come as a huge surprise, especially in some of the more remote areas of the state, where higher electricity prices and weaker grid penetration make solar an increasingly attractive option. The average price of solar power systems globally has been gradually decreasing over the past few years, and there has been lots of talk about solar’s approach to grid parity due to the strong Aussie dollar, the mass-production of relatively inexpensive solar panels, and the rising price of electricity nation-wide.
The news is good news for the future of Australia’s solar industry, which is seeing decreasing levels of government support as several state-level solar feed-in tariff policy schemes (NSW, WA, ACT) reach their respective conclusions. The dropping price of solar will help in enabling the solar industry make it through the tough times.
© 2011 Solar Choice Pty Ltd
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SMH, “Solar energy cost hits par with coal fuel”
He is now the communications manager for energy technology startup SwitchDin, but remains an occasional contributor to the Solar Choice blog.
James lives in Newcastle in a house with a weird solar system.
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