Update 25 June 2012: The Queensland Solar Bonus Feed-in Tariff scheme will be reduced from 44c/kWh to 8c/kWh. Applications to connect to the grid must be submitted by midnight 9 July 2012. […]
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.
43kW of Solar Panels to come to Australian Parliament House
Parliament is soon to be decked out with its own photovoltaic array, as part of the federal government’s efforts to identify and implement solutions to move into a low-carbon future […]
Leading Solar Power towns are found in regional Australia
As part of Clean Energy Week, the Clean Energy Council has issued a list of the top 20 postcodes for residential solar power in Australia. The ranking was compiled based […]
Update: Solar Credits Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) Multiplier to fall to 3x from 5x
The Federal government has announced that the Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) Solar Credit multiplier for solar photovoltaic (PV) systems is to be reduced from 5x to 3x on 1 July […]
Solar Power comes to a Broome resort: Bali Hai
Bali Hai is a luxury resort in Broome, WA for whom Solar Choice recently tendered an agreement for a 55kW solar photovoltaic array installation. […]
Performance-based RECs
The photovoltaics industry in Australia has recently been subject to two notably destabilising policy issues: on the federal level, falling REC prices, and on the NSW state level, the axing […]
NSW Government suspends Solar Bonus (feed-in tariff) Scheme
Energy Minister Chris Hartcher announced this afternoon that the NSW government, facing a budget deficit, has put the Solar Bonus Scheme on ice as of midnight 28 April 2011 due to fears […]
Solar power in USA: the current state of play
People often wonder why the United States, the largest economy in the world and a nation world-renowned as a technology and research powerhouse, is not the global front-runner in the […]
West Australia’s first 100% renewable-powered mine: Wind and Solar
Lithium producer Galaxy Resources is planning to be operating West Australia’s first mine powered by 100% renewable energy within 3 years. The mine is already partially powered by solar panels […]
RECs, STCs: The need for price stability (SMH)
The solar power industry is looking to the Federal government to provide some assurance over the price of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), known as Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs) for smaller, […]
3kW solar power system donated to Melbourne Citymission for Clean Energy Week
The Clean Energy Council National Conference has combined with the annual ATRAA (Appropriate Technology Retailers of Australia) conference for the first ever ‘Clean Energy Week’, a conference for Australia’s clean […]
Best solar power system deals Dubbo & Central West NSW
Central West NSW is one of the most sunshine-blessed regions of Australia and the world, and is an excellent place to for homes and businesses to install solar panels to […]
Major commercial solar power project planned for Queensland
Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced plans for a massive commercial-scale solar power for Australia’s Sunshine State. 44MW of supplementary solar power will be added on to a preexisting coal-fired Kogan […]
How to install a solar panel mounting system on your roof
For most people who decide to mount solar panels on their roof, a mounting system is necessary. This short entry explains the basics of what needs to be taken into […]
What is grid parity and what does it mean for solar power?
Grid parity is often described as the holy grail for solar photovoltaics (solar PV or solar power) and other forms of renewable power generation. What is it, exactly? Grid parity […]
Solar-powered carports
The number of small, simple ways to put solar power to use in daily life seems virtually endless, and opportunities present themselves at every corner. Solar carports are one innovative […]
ACT Solar Feed-in Tariff to remain unchanged at $0.457/kWh
ACT residents who install solar power systems for the 2011-2012 financial year can expect the same generous feed-in tariff rate for systems classified as ‘small’ (read: residential) that was offered […]
BIPV: Building-integrated Photovoltaics, the future of PV
Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) is exactly what the name indicates: solar power generation modules that are integrated directly into a building in the place of ordinary building materials. BIPV differs in […]
Renewable Energy: Charging Electric Vehicles
How will the transportation of the future reduce its reliance on fossil fuels? Despite all its advantages, one of the biggest disadvantages of photovoltaics (PV or solar power), and most […]
Purchasing Green Energy vs Feed-in Tariffs for Solar Power
If you are environmentally-minded, you may have asked yourself at some point whether it is a better idea to install solar power on your roof (referred to as ‘micro-generation’) or […]
Ever-improving PV technology dilemma: Should I wait to buy my solar array?
You are thinking about getting a solar PV system for your home, and in your research have come to understand what the major considerations are: your electricity demand and how […]
Solar Credit (REC) Multiplier to reduce from 5x to 4x from 1 July 2011
(Update: The information in this article is now out of date: according to an announcement by the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, the REC multiplier is set to […]
How will a carbon price affect the solar power market?
As you may have heard, Prime Minister Julia Gillard has recently proclaimed her government’s intention to put a price on carbon dioxide pollution by July 2012. Although at this point […]
PV and solar hot water – Can I get rebates for both?
Jarrah Harburn wrote this excellent piece a while back summarising the benefits of solar hot water systems, and the different types of systems that are available in the market. We […]
Solar PV in Australia: The Land of Beauty and Terror
(Contact a Solar Choice Broker for free, impartial advice on the solar PV installer and system options available in your area of Australia.) It is unfortunate that the growth of […]
State Government Approval Granted to NSW’s First Solar Farm
Infigen Energy has been granted the Keneally government’s approval for NSW’s first commercial solar farm. The farm, to be located about 2km south of Nyngan, a small town in the […]
Enhanced Renewable Energy Target: changes for 2011 now in effect
Previously in our blog we wrote briefly about two major slated changes for 2011 to Australia’s Renewable Energy Target (RET), now known as the Enhanced Renewable Energy Target (eRET), the […]
2010: an extraordinary year for Aussie solar power
The year 2010, just come to a close, treated the Australian solar power industry remarkably well, with more than 100,000 installations nationwide. To put this number in context, it is […]
Australia’s Largest Rooftop Solar Installations
Do you know where Australia’s two largest rooftop solar power installations are located? This blog entry is an overview of what Australia’s two largest roof-mounted solar power installations–the Goyder Pavillion […]
Can I get more Solar Credits for a second solar system for my home?
A great number of people throughout Australia are taking advantage of the federal government’s Solar Credit scheme, which offers financial incentives for solar power installations on their homes. Many people […]
Amendments to Solar Credits Discount Scheme for 2011
(There is a new, up-to-date as of January 2011 blog entry regarding the Enhanced Renewable Energy Target here. If you have any comments or questions please see that article first!) […]
