Installations

The first sod has been turned on a massive solar+storage development located between Harlin and Kilcoy, in south-east Queensland. The project was proposed by Sunshine Energy Australia, a newcomer to the Aussie solar scene.

With 21.6% of Australian households living under rooftop solar, analysis of savings gained and costs mitigated under various circumstances is just catching up with the stampede to install PV. One new study by UNSW researchers is instructive, another looks promising for all energy consumers.

After announcing a policy to drive 9 GW of renewable energy within a decade if elected, NSW Labor has pledged to invest $11 million to train and accredit electricians to install and maintain the new solar energy infrastructure in the state.

South Australia’s largest water and sewerage services supplier has chosen its partner to deploy approximately 154 MW of new solar PV generation and 34 MWh of energy storage, across around 70 of its sites over the next 18 months.

The Victorian electricity distribution business has proposed network enhancements that aim to drive down power prices starting from 2021. It hopes to boost the safety and flexibility of the grid through the measures, which include network improvements to accommodate more solar and battery storage installations.

South Australia’s largest water and sewerage services supplier has a few utility-scale solar projects coupled with energy storage in its pipeline. Three of them are currently under consideration and scheduled to commence construction this year.

The economy-wide costs of rooftop PV subsidies came in at $1.2 billion in 2018, according to analysis by energy efficiency and solar financer and STC trader Demand Manger. While forecasting an increase to $1.56 billion in 2019, Demand Manager has foreshadowed “imminent” changes to Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES).

The amount and nature of desert dust determines whether daily cleaning of solar modules is a favorable option. However, frequent and water-intensive cleaning, as well as the amount of labor required, can be costly in desert installations. But the ingenuity of automation is on its way to help.

Wholesale electricity prices on the NEM can peak during heatwaves and when aging coal generators conk out. Amber Electric customers can both profit from but also bear the brunt of price spikes, but when they have solar+storage the upside is significant. Importantly solar homes can provide a valuable service to the grid, says Amber Electric Founder and CEO Chris Thompson.

Solar ‘lease-to-own’ installer ShineHub has chosen Hanwha Q Cells as preferred solar panel provider for its Community Solar Program under the South Australian battery scheme.