The likelihood of South Australia shifting to 100 per cent renewable energy received a huge boost this week, with the decision to close the state’s two remaining coal-fired plants. Alinta […]
Category: Solar Choice News
Solar Choice’s news service about local, national and global developments about solar photovoltaics and related technology.
IRENA report highlights the 164 nations with renewable energy targets
On the same day Tony Abbott described Australia’s RET as “not the right way forward,” a new report has described renewable energy targets as a “defining feature” of the global energy landscape, […]
Wind & solar save the day in SA as fire disables Northern coal plant
Renewable energy managed to carry the bulk South Australia’s electricity load over the long weekend, after a fire at the Northern coal power station – the state’s only baseload generator […]
Coalition reportedly investigating ways to promote large-scale solar ahead of wind
Solar energy could be favoured under the revised Australian renewable energy target, with Coalition ministers reportedly looking at ways to accelerate the development of large-scale solar projects, ahead of wind […]
Lismore Council’s Community Solar project opens to investors
Australia’s first local government- and community-owned solar project will begin seeking investor interest this week, just six months after it was approved for development. The Lismore Community Solar project, which […]
Three potential sites identified for ground-breaking SA energy storage project
Plans for Australia’s first large-scale, non-hydro energy storage project have progressed this week, with the identification of three potential sites in South Australia, and the submission of more than 40 […]
Aussie property developers could skip grid to design microgrid-powered communities
Australian property developers are exploring the option of not connecting newly built housing estates to the electricity grid, but instead offering solar and storage as part of a standard package, industry […]
Australian Energy Storage Conference & Exhibition 2015 roundup
The excitement and optimism were palpable at the Australian Energy Storage Conference and Exhibition held this week in Sydney at the Australian Technology Park. The exhibition portion had on display […]
World’s largest off-grid residential solar-plus-storage system installed in Hawaii
The world’s largest private residential solar-plus-storage, off-grid power system was installed last week in Hawaii. The system includes a 170kW solar array and 1MWh of Aqueous Hybrid Ion batteries from […]
Solar feed-in tariff for regional Queensland reduced further under latest QCA review
Queensland’s regional solar households are set to be paid even less for the energy they export to the grid, after the the state’s pricing regulator announced a further cut to […]
Canberra Institute of Technology to launch Renewable Energy Skills Centre of Excellence in 2016
Starting in 2016, the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) will provide cutting-edge training in renewable wind technologies through its Renewable Energy Skills Centre of Excellence. The Centre of Excellence, which […]
Panasonic to launch battery storage system for Australian market
Japanese electronics giant, Panasonic, is set to announce its battery storage rollout in the Australian market, along with its plans with “some of” Australia’s leading energy retailers.The product rollout, scheduled […]
RET deal’s passage will unlock billions in solar & wind investment
More than $10 billion in solar and wind investment would be unlocked if legislation to amend Australia’s renewable energy target achieved quick passage through parliament, the Clean Energy Council has […]
SA Power Networks could introduce $100 annual charge for solar homes
South Australia’s monopoly power network operator, SA Power Networks, has flagged the introduction of a $100 a year network surcharge on the state’s solar households. The proposal was revealed in […]
ARENA-backed survey says Australia loves solar
A new survey has found that an overwhelming majority of Australians support the installation of solar on the nation’s rooftops and at a utility-scale, but that almost one-quarter of the […]
Half of Aussie solar homes could get batteries as economics improve: Morgan Stanley
Australia’s residential battery storage market could be worth $24 billion, with half of all households likely to install batteries to store the output from their solar panels, according to investment […]
Renewables sector employed 7.7 million people globally in 2014: IRENA
The global renewable energy industry employed 7.7 million people, directly or indirectly, in 2014, according to a report released on Tuesday night by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) – an 18 […]
Jordanian auction achieves record-low large-scale solar prices
The cost of large-scale solar has achieved a new low in the Middle East and north Africa region, after the latest round of solar auctions in Jordan confirmed the benchmark […]
Australia’s first road-legal solar sports car to hit streets this year
Imagine being able to drive yourself around town without having to pay for an ounce of petrol – but instead getting all the fuel that you need for free from the […]
Innovative German pilot hybrid project combines solar PV, CHP and battery storage
A German project that combines rooftop solar PV, combined heat and power technology, and battery storage could be adapted and scaled up elsewhere, according to General Electric, one of the […]
New residential energy storage pilot projects to showcase promise of energy independence
In a sign of the times and an indication of things to come, a total of 22 homes are to be fitted out with emergency backup energy storage systems in a pilot […]
Perth suburb sets sights on solar-powered future
Western Australia’s Wanneroo Council has called for expressions of interest to develop and operate a grid-connected solar farm on local government-owned land in the northern Perth suburb of Neerabup. The […]
Renewable Energy Target deal struck: 33,000GWh with no 2-yearly reviews
The Abbott government and federal Labor have finally struck a bipartisan agreement on Australia’s renewable energy target, with both parties agreeing to slash it from 41,000GWh to 33,000GWh by 2020. […]
Queensland to aim for 50% renewables, 1 million solar homes by 2030
Queensland’s Labor government has restated its commitment to generating 50 per cent of its electricity needs from renewable energy by 2030, and to ensure one million homes in state had […]
Big solar could make up 40% of new 2020 large-scale renewables target: BNEF
Big solar could take up as much as 40 per cent of Australia’s 2020 Renewable Energy Target, even with a much reduced target of 33,000GWh, according to Bloomberg New Energy […]
Clean Energy Finance Corp to invest $1b towards solar of all sizes
Australia’s solar industry looks set to receive an investment boost, after the Clean Energy Finance Corporation revealed plans to finance more than $1 billion of solar projects in the local […]
RET deal back on hold as Labor walks out over continuation of 2-yearly reviews
Even as an agreement appears to be close at hand, talks have again broken down between Labor and the Coalition about the future of Australia’s Renewable Energy Target (RET). Labor […]
WA government backs off on plans for higher fixed charges for solar homes
The Western Australian government has reportedly shelved plans to introduce higher network fixed charges to recoup some of the revenue displaced by the state’s 175,000 solar households. As reported in […]
Tesla’s Elon Musk says Powerwall already economically viable in Australia
US electric vehicle and battery maker, Tesla, has declared energy storage already economically viable in Australia, as the upstart company’s founder and CEO Elon Musk provided more insight into why his new […]
CSIRO scientists commission solar-powered desalination plant for Cyprus
Scientists from Australia’s CSIRO have designed and installed a solar thermal power plant with molten salt storage on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. The small, 150kW facility is being used […]
Tesla Energy launch shakes up the energy industry
The recent launch of Tesla Energy and the Powerwall lithium battery banks have triggered much excitement in the energy industry. The news has renewable energy supporters optimistic about a speedy […]
