Rooftop solar in Australia’s southern states reduced peak demand by an average of 4.6 per cent during the recent heat-wave, and on one afternoon provided one quarter of South Australia’s […]
Category: Solar Panel & Renewable Energy Policies
Solar Choice articles about solar pv, solar power policy and renewable energy policy. Solar Choice is Australia’s solar power installation brokering and solar quote comparison service. Contact Solar Choice for a free comparison of solar power quotes.
What is your feed-in tariff eligibility in Western Australia? (Horizon customers)
If you live anywhere in regional Western Australia (essentially anywhere outside of Perth & surrounds) and you have grid electricity, your power is probably delivered by Horizon Power, whose […]
2013: The Australian year in solar
2013 was a huge year full of ups and downs for the solar industry globally and in Australia. What were some of the most important milestones, events and trends of […]
Government intentions to dilute the RET becoming clearer
The government’s intention to dilute the strength of the country’s Renewable Energy Target (RET) has become clearer, with Prime Minister Abbott accusing the scheme of ‘causing pretty significant price pressures’ […]
The impact of rising wholesale fuel costs on Queensland’s electricity prices (and the rest of Australia)
Regulated electricity prices will rise in Queensland next year, and the carbon tax and other renewable energy support schemes have been widely blamed as the main reason for these increases. […]
Lessons learned from the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme: An academic view
While last year’s debacle with WA’s feed-in tariff is already resolved, was still a reminder of the history that this policy mechanism has had elsewhere in Australia. The WA feed-in tariff, after […]
Queensland electricity prices set to rise again from 2014: QCA draft decision released
The Queensland Competition Authority has released its draft decision for regulated electricity prices from July 2014. Although the decision is still in draft form, precedent dictates that the final version […]
Renewable Energy Target (RET) review will soon be underway: What are the implications for solar PV?
The Renewable Energy Target (RET) is one of the most important policy mechanisms for renewable energy in Australia, and it is arguably the only one that affects every player in […]
Solar PV Price Index–Dec 2013
Nationwide, average system prices across all solar system sizes (1.5kW-5kW) increased slightly between November and December, although this trend was not as noticeable with 3kW–5kW systems as with 1.5kW and 2kW system. […]
Solar power Western Australia: Are solar panels worth the investment in WA?
The number of solar power system installation continues to grow across Australia in spite of the withdrawal or reduction of government incentives across the board–and WA is no exception. This […]
Australia achieves its next solar milestone: 3 gigawatts of rooftop solar installed
The solar panel odometer has ticked over yet again for Australia, with the country reaching 3 gigawatts (GW) of installed rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity, according to figures from the […]
Solar PV Price Index–Nov 2013
Solar PV system prices held steady in Adelaide for November, while ACT prices saw an increase. Average system installation prices for Brisbane and Melbourne fell, while Perth and Sydney remain […]
Federal government moves to slash ARENA funding
Renewable energy advocates have spoken out agains the Coalition’s previously foreshadowed move to reduce funding to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), introduced as a provision in the government’s draft […]
Solar power in Busselton, WA: Compare prices & installers
Should you consider solar power for your home or business in Busselton, WA? The popularity of solar panels has soared across Australia in recent years, and Busselton has seen its share […]
South Australia’s solar feed-in tariff closed: What’s next for 2013, 2014 and beyond?
South Australia’s transitional feed-in tariff incentive for solar power closed to new applicants on 30 September 2013. Many of those who are considering going solar but have not yet made the […]
Commercial solar power in Fyshwick, ACT
Fyshwick, ACT is an industrial area whose high concentration of flat, solar-ready roof space makes it a great spot for businesses interested in commercial-scale solar power. This article provides an overview […]
South Australia feed-in tariff recipients could lose benefit by installing energy storage
SA electricity distribution company South Australia Power Networks mentioned in a recently released ‘PV Process Update‘ (PDF) that anyone currently receiving one of the state’s solar feed-in tariffs (premium or transitional) […]
RESA’s VoltLogic to be used for limiting solar export in NT demo project
Renewable Energy Systems Australia (RESA) has announced that its STATCOM/inverter, VoltLogic, will be deployed at Palmerston Golf Club in Darwin, Northern Territory in a partnership with the club, a prominent local solar installation […]
Could solar system owners face additional power bill charges?
Since covered in an article in the Australian last week, sparks have been flying about the Australian Energy Market Commission’s (AEMC’s) stated ‘strategic priorities’ for the future development of Australia’s National […]
Solar power in Gippsland, Vic: Compare prices & installers
Considering installing a solar power system in Gippsland, Victoria? This article covers almost everything you need to know about having solar panels in stalled in Gippsland, including solar PV system […]
Compare solar power deals in the Southern Highlands, NSW: Bowral, Mittagong & surrounds
Considering investing solar power for your home or business in the Southern Highlands, NSW? This article covers the things that Bowral, Mittagong, and other Southern Highlands residents will need to […]
Compare solar panel deals in Warrnambool, Victoria
Thinking about installing a solar power system in Warrnambool, Victoria? This article is an overview of (nearly) everything you need to know about going solar there, including solar system prices, […]
Australia’s largest tracker-equipped rooftop solar array goes online in Victoria
Steel products manufacturer Hilton Manufacturing has commissioned a one-of-a-kind project on the roof of its factory in Dandenong South, outside Melbourne, Victoria. The commercial-scale solar array is unique in Australia […]
Solar PV Price Index–Oct 2013
Solar PV system prices dropped notably in Adelaide between September and October, likely as a result of installers addressing new realities in light of the closure of SA’s transitional feed-in […]
Are solar panels still worth it in Queensland? 100MW of new installations say ‘yes’
In a bit of good news for the Queensland solar scene, the state has become the first in Australia to achieve 1 gigawatt (GW) of rooftop solar capacity, according to network […]
New South Australian solar feed-in tariff draft rate: 7.6c/kWh
South Australia has come a step closer to determining the rate at which homes and businesses that have installed a rooftop solar system will be reimbursed for the excess solar […]
Are solar panels worth it in Adelaide, SA? Before and after the feed-in tariff
With the deadline for SA’s transitional feed-in tariff looming (30 Sept 2013), Adelaide residents are doubtless asking themselves whether solar panels will be worth the investment after the subsidy is […]
Solar farm projects near airports: Is glare an issue?
The Canberra Times recently published a piece about the concerns about potential glare from the solar panels of the proposed 4 megawatt (MW) Mount Majura Solar Farm, given its proximity to Canberra […]
Among Coalition’s changes to renewable support schemes, an ARENA budget cut for the 1m solar homes program
The Coalition, as largely anticipated, has come to power following the 7 September election, riding a wave of anti-Labour sentiment. Everyone involved in renewables or with an interest in renewable […]
Solar PV Price Index–September 2013
Thanks to a change in Solar Choice database functionality, figures from a larger number of installers than usual was used in calculating solar PV system installation prices for September 2013. […]
The post-election trajectory of solar power in Australia
Australia will vote for a new federal government on 7 September 2013–less than a week away–and although by no means a certainty, polls show the Lib-Nats tipped to win, ushering in […]
