Australia’s biggest utilities and coal generators could push for another review of the federal renewable energy target, if the newly re-elected Coalition government is presented with a “workable” majority of […]
Tag: coalition
ARENA funding round results highlight falling large-scale solar costs
The final round of bidding for the Australian Renewable Energy Agency’s large scale solar funding program shows the costs of the technology are still falling, the Agency says, and will […]
Are you voting for solar this election? Check the Solar Scorecard
Solar advocacy group Solar Citizens have launched their Solar Scorecard tool for the 2016 election. The Solar Scorecard allows anyone to find out how the candidates in their local electorate […]
Half of Aussie homes could have solar-plus-batteries by 2025: Climate Council
A new report by the Climate Council has predicted that half of all households in Australia will wind up installing solar with battery storage, with the market potentially growing to […]
Could Turnbull follow the pro-solar example set by WA energy minister Nahan?
If new Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull needs guidance on how to get his more conservative Coalition members to embrace change in the energy market, he might use the example of […]
Survey says half of Australian voters disappointed with Coalition’s (lack of) support for renewables
A new survey has revealed more than half of Australian voters believe the Coalition has failed to give enough support to Australia’s renewable energy industry, and particularly rooftop solar. The […]
RET deal details remain unsettled with questions about wood waste and wind
Last-minute wrangling over the inclusion of native wood waste in the Renewable Energy Target is threatening to delay passage of the amended legislation through federal Parliament’s Upper House, as the […]
Australia’s conservative districts also have the most solar: Solar Citizens
Australia’s rooftop solar market is still powering along nicely, adding another 11,865 systems in the month of May and bringing the nation’s total number of solar homes to more than […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Aussie small-scale solar stays strong even as large-scale lags due to uncertainty
Australia’s rooftop solar market is continuing to grow, despite a plunge in renewable energy investment that is driving the nation’s large-scale renewables sector into a deepening crisis. New analysis by […]
Government’s Energy White Paper focuses on coal, glosses over solar
The Abbott government has again shown its colours on renewables, using its Energy White Paper to describe interventions like the RET and solar feed-in-tariffs as “unintended disruptions” to competitive energy […]
NSW Premier axes renewable energy secretary role from government
The Australian renewable energy industry has reacted with confusion and concern to the decision of newly reelected NSW premier Mike Baird to eliminate the portfolio of parliamentary secretary for renewable […]
Coalition says cross-bench senators votes could help them weaken RET
The federal government will take renewable energy target negotiations to the cross-benchers in the Senate, after its “final” offer on the RET was rejected outright by Labor.In an interview with […]
Do the recent comments from Greg Hunts’s office mean small-scale commercial solar is safe from the government axe?
According to Climate Spectator, the government is dropping hints that it may have backed away from slashing incentives for residential and small-scale commercial solar projects. In a talk with Climate […]
Renewable Energy Target state-of-play: What you need to know
Sydney Morning Herald Environment Editor Peter Hannam has provided a lucid overview of where things stand with the Renewable Energy Target (RET). The piece is worth a read for anyone who […]
Coalition draws lines for start to negotiations on Renewable Energy Target’s future
The Coalition has come out swinging–albeit not as furiously is it might have–in negotiations over the future of the Renewable Energy Target. Key to the Government’s initial position on the […]
Thermal electricity storage inspired by hang-gliders
UK‑firm ‘Isentropic’ has developed a pumped heat electricity storage (PHES) system for cheap and convenient distributed grid storage, with a projected levelised cost of storage (LCOS) below industry‑leading hydroelectric storage. […]
Xenophon, while withholding comment on RET, says small-scale solar should be expanded
As the Abbott government attempts to wrangle its proposed changes to the Renewable Energy Target, the future for the solar industry brightened a little, after independent senator Nick Xenophon signalled […]
Shorten: Abbott must reject Warburton review as prerequisite for deal on RET
In a show of support for Australia’s rooftop solar industry, the leader of the opposition, Bill Shorten, has called on the government to ignore the recommendations of the latest RET […]
Solar Citizens, Solar Council deliver letter from 500+ solar companies to government urging sense on the RET
Representatives from Australia’s solar industry have delivered a letter to the Abbott government calling on it to back jobs and investment in the solar industry by maintaining the 41,000GWh Renewable […]
Coalition hints at openness to compromise on Renewable Energy Target: Financial Review
Officials in the Coalition have hinted that the government is unlikely to seek to eliminate Australia’s Renewable Energy Target (RET) and that a compromise with the Opposition in which the […]
What the Renewable Energy Target review panel’s report means for those thinking about going solar
The panel tasked with reviewing the Renewable Energy Target has recommended that the scheme “should be substantially reformed” in its report on the topic released yesterday, confirming earlier reports to this effect. Among the more […]
As solar industry braces for RET review results, solar boom looks imminent
The Australian Solar Council, in preparation for the the announcement of the recommendations of the Renewable Energy Target (RET) review panel, has urged installers across the country to ‘sell solar’ in […]
NSW government proclaims support for renewables & the RET, breaking ranks with fellow Lib-Nats
Breaking ranks with the their fellow Lib-Nat party members on the federal level, the NSW government has declared its aim of ensuring that NSW is fertile territory for renewable energy […]
Retirement savings at risk if RET is slashed: IGCC
The Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC) has advised the panel tasked with reviewing Australia’s Renewable Energy Target (RET) that the superannuation funds of millions of Australians are at risk […]
AGL’s submission to RET review urges incentive reductions
Leading Australian utility AGL Energy has been accused of joining the electricity sector “dark side” after it called for the small-scale component of the Renewable Energy Target, currently under review […]
What would a solar system cost without the Renewable Energy Target?
“Is the Renewable Energy Target going to survive this review in reasonably good shape?” There are only so many times you can shake the Magic 8 Ball to try to […]
With Renewable Energy Target review underway, solar industry takes facts into battle
The review of the federal Renewable Energy Target is now officially underway–and it will be ‘extensive’. The government, having made clear on numerous occasions its intentions of eliminating ‘green tape’ […]
