Rooftop solar and solar hot water installs in Australia have passed the three million-mark, according to the latest data from the Clean Energy Regulator, as homes and businesses continue to […]
Category: Solar Choice News
Solar Choice’s news service about local, national and global developments about solar photovoltaics and related technology.
Customer dissatisfaction with electricity retailers driving uptake of solar, batteries
Australian consumers are even less satisfied with energy retailers than they are with banks and insurers, and are increasingly choosing to take matters into their own hands – a consumer […]
Australia’s large-scale solar pipeline leaps to 35 gigawatts
Australia’s pipeline of large-scale solar projects has leapt to 35GW, with another three PV farms preparing to connect to the grid. The Whitsunday and Hamilton solar farms in central Queensland, […]
Gannawarra Solar Farm opening ceremony [Photos & Video]
After a five-year journey, Gannawarra Solar Farm has been two thirds commissioned and will soon be sending clean energy into the grid at full production. The project, at 60MW DC […]
The role of flow batteries in the future renewable energy grid [VIDEO]
One of the most impressive presentations from the 2018 Australian Energy Storage Conference was the keynote speech on the second day by Redflow ‘technology evangelist’ (and former chief) Simon Hackett. […]
World’s largest ‘solar tower’ power plant begins commissioning
The world’s biggest solar tower power plant has begun commissioning in Morocco, and is scheduled to begin production of solar thermal energy by October, in a landmark moment for solar […]
All-electric solar homes could save thousands in energy costs
Disconnecting from gas and choosing to live in all-electric, solar powered homes could save Australian households thousands of dollars in energy costs, a new study has found. The report, published […]
Residential Solar PV Price Index – June 2018
Average residential solar system prices have dipped down to $1.32 per watt ($/W) this month on the back of several factors, including changes to the composition of the Solar Choice […]
Energy storage conference highlighted strong storage potential
Running 23-24 May in Adelaide, the Australian Energy Storage Conference and Exhibition (AES 2018) saw the biggest names and leading companies in energy storage come together to showcase new technologies […]
After smashing renewable records in 2017/18, Australian on track for even bigger 2018/19
Australia’s renewable energy industry had a year of remarkable deal-making and record-smashing project activity in 2017, a new report has confirmed. The Clean Energy Australia Report 2018, published last Wednesday, […]
Melbourne apartment complex switches on shared solar system
A mixed residential and retail building in the Melbourne Bayside suburb of Highett has successfully installed a shared PV system, paving the way for renters and apartment dwellers to access […]
Renewables, energy storage & the distributed grid: AES 2018 roundup
At the 2018 Australian Energy Storage Conference & Exhibition, it’s very clear that big, unstoppable things are happening in Australia’s energy sector. Adelaide was a fitting venue for the event, […]
SA energy minister vows continued leadership on energy transition
South Australia’s new energy minister has vowed to continue the state’s dramatic energy transition and show other states “how it can be done,” as the dust settles from the state’s […]
10GW large-scale solar & an EV manufacturing plant for Australia?
UK steel billionaire Sanjeev Gupta says his company could build 10GW of large-scale solar across Australia, as well as an electric vehicle manufacturing facility. The comments, made in a speech […]
Aussie businesses going big on solar & wind to cut costs
The amount of renewable energy being generated by Australian businesses has more than doubled over the last two years, with nearly half all corporations making the switch to wind and/or […]
The impressive numbers behind the Tesla ‘big battery’ in SA
The 100MW big battery installed by Tesla in South Australia has taken a 55 per cent share in the state’s frequency and ancillary services market, and lowered prices in that […]
Sanjeev Gupta talks energy storage
As solar and energy storage technologies become more competitive, they will revolutionise how energy is consumed globally, especially in Australia, says businessman Sanjeev Gupta, who has cemented his place as a […]
Residential solar PPA in Perth property development a ‘game changer’
See this education article on Solar PPAs A residential property development in Perth’s northern suburbs is offering home buyers a rooftop solar deal that promises to cut their daytime […]
CHOICE launches energy savings service: Should you sign up?
Consumer advocacy researchers at CHOICE have launched a service which they claim will help to ensure that customers never pay more than they have to for electricity. The program, called […]
NSW solar feed-in tariff rates to drop from 1 July 2018: What does it all mean?
NSW’s regulator IPART has released its draft report for its recommendations for the state’s benchmark solar feed-in tariff range, to come into effect from 1 July 2018. The recommended ‘flat’ […]
70MW solar PV farm may be added to Port Augusta solar tower
US solar company SolarReserve has sought approval to add a 70MW solar PV farm to the world leading solar tower and molten salt storage facility proposed for Port Augusta in […]
1.5GW solar farm proposed for southeast QLD
A 1.5GW solar farm is being proposed for construction in south-east Queensland, as part of a massive new development application that would include two substations and a provision for battery […]
Battery Storage Price Index – May 2018
This month saw the most significant changes to battery installation prices since we started keeping track last November, thanks in part to an influx of data from companies in the […]
Commercial Solar PV Price Index for May 2018
Commercial solar system prices continue their (very) gradual decline, according to pricing data from Solar Choice’s network of installers. The average indexed price continues to sit at around $1.16/W – […]
Residential Solar PV Price Index – May 2018
Average residential solar system prices continue to sit at about $1.35 per watt ($/W) for the second month in a row, despite a number of pricing updates from installers in […]
More and more Aussie homes & businesses opting to go off-grid
The number of Australian consumers choosing to go off grid is on the rise, installers are reporting, as households respond to the rising cost of grid energy, and the hopeless […]
Report identifies the Australians missing out on solar
As Australia’s rooftop solar market continues to boom, a new report has identified four key markets where uptake is yet to take off. According to the report, by EnergyLab, these […]
Commercial Solar PV Price Index for April 2018
Average commercial solar system prices continue to sit at about $1.17/W for the second month in a row, according to data from the Solar Choice installer network database. 100kW and […]
Battery Storage Price Index – April 2018
This month’s data saw changes only in the larger two size categories that we track (i.e. 11-15kWh and 16-20kWh), where average prices actually increased slightly, due partially to the addition of […]
ESB scraps proposal of mandatory storage for all new wind & solar
Australia’s Energy Security Board has effectively rejected the Conservative push for wind and solar to conform to outdated standards of “baseload” energy supply, and instead focused its thinking on reliability […]
Gannawarra Solar Farm connects to grid (battery coming soon)
The 60MW Ganawarra project in north-west Victoria – the state’s biggest solar farm, to date – has been connected to the grid, and will soon begin on the installation of […]
