Installations

While the rooftop market segment might indicate smooth sailing, the debate over low cost suppliers and installers serving Australian homes and businesses continues to simmer just beneath the surface. And one name remains especially prominent in the discussion: Euro Solar.

Passing the 2 GW installation milestone, opening its DG business and moving into Southeast Asia: Nextracker’s Australian operations is proving to be a bright spot on global map. For Peter Wheale, VP responsible for Australia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific, it’s vindication of his conviction that the market was going to take off, and success in which fortuitous timing played no small roll.

The government-owned energy provider has signed eight wind and solar PPAs to cover the shortfall in its existing energy generating capacity and put downward pressure on wholesale energy prices. Snowy Hydro says it will be able to offer firm supply contracts at less than $70/MWh, which undercuts the current wholesale price of electricity.

The World Bank says global operational floating PV capacity has topped 1.1 GW, noting that adding floating solar to hydropower plants improves their flexibility while increasing energy yields. According to the latest WB report, Australia and Oceania have potential for 5 GW of floating solar on freshwater man-made reservoirs under conservative assumptions, and up to 50 GW under the most favorable scenario.

Against the backdrop of a mature rooftop solar market and a booming commercial and industrial solar sector, Australia has a competitive but vibrant solar retailer and installation market. However, not all have prospered and a prominent player has exited the market.

Chinese module manufacturer Trina Solar has launched its “all-in-one“ kit in Australia targeting the rooftop solar segment. Its expectations of the Aussie market are high, as the company continues to pursue overseas expansion to ride out the China government policy shake-up.

Looking to set the direction for a smart energy future, the New South Wales government has launched the Emerging Energy Program. As part of the scheme, funding will be provided to support the commercialization of new low-emissions, large-scale power generation and storage projects, as well as underpin feasibility studies to help get new projects off the ground.

The 349 MWp Limondale Solar Park located near Balranald, New South Wales, will feature solar modules produced by U.S.-based PV maker SunPower.

The Victorian government has allocated another $2 million in funding for Australia’s renewables-powered electric vehicle ultrafast charging stations, as the first charging site was unveiled at Euroa.

The bottler of the iconic beverage brand in Australia, Coca-Cola Amatil, is set to roll out 3.5 MW of rooftop solar across its operations in Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia. The solar arrays are forecast to cut the company’s annual energy costs by up to $1.3 million.