A new report has predicted that solar power is headed for a “huge year” in Australia in 2017, on the back of a boom in the large-scale market and a […]
Category: Solar Choice News
Solar Choice’s news service about local, national and global developments about solar photovoltaics and related technology.
Australia can reach 100 per cent renewable energy says CSIRO
The nation’s chief scientific body has advised there are no technical barriers to prevent Australia from achieving 100 per cent renewables on its electricity grid, and that levels of around […]
Victorian government to build Australia’s first grid scale battery storage facility
Victoria’s Labor government is calling for expressions of interest to build a 20MW battery storage array, in what would likely be Australia’s first grid scale battery storage facility. The 20MW […]
US-based solar tower and storage developer surprised of Australia’s “new coal” pursuits
US-based solar tower and storage developer SolarReserve has expressed surprise that Australia’s federal government is pursuing “new coal” plants, saying that solar towers with storage beats coal on just about […]
2016 was a record-breaking year for the Australian solar system industry
At one point, 2016 looked like an abysmal year for Australian solar. But 2016 turned out to be record breaking year for solar, in many regards. You’ll get all the […]
Battery storage: better at peaking than gas in South Australia
An alternative to building more gas peaking plants in South Australia – which would take years and require hard-to-get-gas – is to build a lithium battery storage plant to act […]
Rooftop solar saved the day, but households got paid a pittance
Solar power played a major role in reducing stress on grids in Queensland and New South Wales during the massive heatwave late last week, but were solar households fairly rewarded […]
The PM has battery storage added to his solar system at his Point Piper mansion
Amid the threat of summer power blackouts in the NSW, it has emerged that Australian Prime Mininster Malcolm Turnbull has added battery storage to the solar system at his harbourside […]
Residential Solar PV Price Index – February 2017
Despite the decrease in the incentive available under the federal Renewable Energy Target that came in effect from last month, average solar PV system prices have moved little, according to our data. Although […]
SA govt to install rooftop solar at 40 different schools
South Australia will install rooftop solar systems at 40 schools across the state, as part of a $15 million scheme to help the education sector cut power costs and further […]
Clean energy start-up accelerator program launches in Sydney
A program dedicated to seed-funding and mentoring renewable and advanced energy startups is being launched in Sydney, in an effort to bridge Australia’s clean energy investment “valley of death”. The […]
NSW facing blackouts on Friday due to extreme heatwave
New South Wales faces rolling blackouts on Friday as the extraordinary summer heatwave continues across Australia, and after South Australia’s grid faced similar problems on Wednesday. The Australian Energy Market […]
Fossil fuel generators, not renewables should be blamed for high energy prices
The Australian Energy Regulator has been investigating more than half a dozen “high priced” events on the National Electricity Market, and some of the reports it has already completed make […]
New damning report on coal-fired power generation in Australia
Independent energy research firm Bloomberg New Energy Finance has released a damning report on new ultra-super critical coal-fired power generation in Australia, describing it as “the most expensive form of […]
Malcolm Turnbull lays out his thoughts on renewable energy in his NPC address
Australia’s prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has laid out his thoughts on renewable energy, electricity pricing and supply, as well as on “clean coal” and gas, describing energy as a “defining […]
Victoria’s Labor Government Steps Up on Climate Action
Victoria’s Labor government has upped the ante on climate action, pledging to cut state emissions by up to 20 per cent within three years on the road to its ultimate […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
