Residential PV

The NSW government has announced a $15 million solar scheme, which will put free solar PV systems on up to 3,400 low-income households provided they forgo their energy rebate.

The All-Energy Australia 2018 exhibition & conference kicked off in Melbourne today. Safety of products and quality assurance was prominent in discussions at the country’s largest PV conference and trade show in its early hours. Big funding announcements at the opening plenary made headlines.

Owing to its state-based renewable energy initiatives, Victoria is in the box seat to create more than 6,000 jobs annually, shows a new analysis released by Green Energy Markets. Overall, renewable energy generation managed to exceed 25% of power supply for the first time across Australia’s main grids.   

Developed in partnership between the Clean Energy Regulator and the solar industry, the initiative is looking to ensure genuine solar panels are mounted across Australia, against the backdrop of booming rooftop installation rates and mounting pressure on installers. Michelle Crosbie, Managing Director, Clean Energy Regulator, will be at pv magazine’s Quality Roundtable at the All Energy Australia show tomorrow in Melbourne to deliver further details on the scheme.

Rooftop solar is popular in the Australian community. But it may not always be the case. If solar and, in particular, battery storage systems are sold with inflated claims, or are non-code compliant, public support could be undermined – delivering momentum to politicians keen to scrap the SRES. An important message from BayWa r.e. Solar Solutions Managing Director Durmus Yildiz.

The Dunsborough Community Energy Project is announced as Australia’s first privately funded virtual power plant.

Applications have officially opened for 50% rebates on rooftop solar installations under the Victorian government’s Solar Homes program, announced just weeks ago. The subsidies will be available until 30 June next year.

Australia’s policy maker for the energy markets has approved the establishment a national register of small-scale distributed energy resources, which will give AEMO and distribution network businesses more data to help in planning and operating the power system as it transforms.

AGL has announced it will no longer install solar panels on homes, a decision which has brought with it a $47 million loss.

Following a grant from the Victorian government, Origin Energy is gearing up to connect solar and battery systems of up to 650 residential and commercial properties across the state, in what will be its first virtual power plant and the largest one in Victoria to date.