Victorian councils turn to solar for environmental upgrades, improved bottom lines
Mildura Rural City Council reports a milestone in helping businesses to upgrade their buildings with solar and become more energy efficient and sustainable, while Greater Shepparton sees great results from going solar.
There’s a looming waste crisis from Australia’s solar energy boom
As Australians seek to control rising energy costs and tackle the damaging impacts of climate change, rooftop solar has boomed. To manage the variability of rooftop solar – broadly, the “no power at night” problem – we will also see a rapid increase in battery storage.
Australia could install 179 GW of rooftop solar
With Australia amongst the world leaders in solar uptake, a new study finds the nation is currently using less than 5% of the potential capacity for rooftop solar.
UNSW to step up sustainability efforts with more solar
UNSW Sydney will start procuring all of its electricity from a NSW solar farm by next year and gradually expand onsite solar energy generation by 2022, as well as improve energy and water efficiency to reduce its environmental footprint.
China confirms $435m solar subsidy budget for this year
The race is on to process applications for central payments across the world’s biggest solar market, particularly as qualifying projects must reportedly be grid connected this year. The final electricity price will be a major competitive factor considered by the Beijing authorities.
PV leads the way as renewables threaten coal-fired power
With clean energy being generated at lower and lower prices around the world, solar power is playing a leading role in bringing the curtain down on coal, and will help the decarbonization of transport and space heating too.
Upstream majors to lead the charge in renewables investment
Renewable energy investment in the APAC region, excluding China, will overtake spending on oil and gas exploration and production spending by 2020, finds Norwegian consultancy Rystad Energy. And Australia is set to emerge as one of the leading investment destinations.
Gold miner to build 60 MW solar farm on former evaporation ponds
Australian miner GBM Gold is planning to repurpose the Woodvale evaporation ponds near Bendigo in central Victoria and build a utility-scale solar farm. One part of the project will be a floating solar array.
NSW Tweed Shire Council adds to its growing solar energy portfolio
Tweed Shire councillors voted last week for the installation of a 604 kW ground-mount solar power system at the Banora Point Wastewater Treatment Plant. This announcement follows last month’s addition of a 165 kW solar array atop the Tweed Regional Aquatic Centre (TRAC) in Murwillumbah.
Australian aged care sector turns to solar for lower energy bills
With the annual cost of energy per bed across the aged care sector on the rise, C&I PV and energy efficiency specialist Verdia says that a major energy transformation is underway across Australia.
