Residential PV

Victorian electricity distributors Powercor and Citipower are setting out to alleviate grid congestion in area of high solar penetration, particularly in Western Victoria. The works are designed to increase the ability of rooftop solar owners to export solar to the grid amid the continuing uptake of residential solar.

Why do you almost never hear about prosecutions for illegal phoenix activity? Why do some Approved Solar Retailers behave so badly? And what remains of Australian solar’s cowboy history?

The delicate balancing act between incentivising rooftop solar uptake, versus moderating its effects on the grid and electricity markets continues, with the Victorian energy regulator reducing the state’s minimum solar feed-in tariff from 1 July.

Advanced technology is of little use if it cannot reach those who need it most. Two Indonesian companies – Kopernik, an NGO based in Bali, and Sumba Sustainable Solutions, from the island of Sumba – are trying to bridge the gap between those in need and those with technological solutions. They both focus on the PV electrification of rural areas and brightening Indonesia’s “last mile.”

Smart metering services provider Intellihub cracked the million meter mark this week as the smart meter market in Australia and New Zealand surges off the back of continuing solar uptake.

The South Korean manufacturer has brought, to Europe and Australia, its recently launched shingled PERC panel, with an output ranging from 460 to 480 W and an efficiency of up to 20.5%. The products come with a 25-year linear power output guarantee and a 25-year product guarantee.

Faulty or failing rooftop solar systems are behind one in five enquiries made to Sydney-based retailer Solaray Energy, according to the company’s co-founder and director, Jonathan Fisk. “And it’s going to continue to accelerate,” Fisk told pv magazine Australia.

The Australian Energy Regulator has released its Default Market Offer for 2021-2022, and it is another fall in electricity prices, especially if you live in South Australia, New South Wales or south-east Queensland. The regulator says one of the main factors driving the now continuous fall in electricity prices is the investment in renewables, in particular the estimated uptake of rooftop solar.

Owners of property in strata-titled buildings in New South Wales will soon find it easier to make the switch to renewable energy with the State Government ushering in changes to laws in a bid to pave the way for easier installation of solar PV, renewable energy storage systems and electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.

The South Australian government is offering concession holders a free, new solar system in exchange for their concession payments as part of a pilot program.