News

The Australian government’s green bank continues to invest in energy efficient homes for low income families with a new funding granted for solar and battery-powered dwellings in regional New South Wales.

The first million took 40 years, the second million took two years and the third million will arrive two years from now.

Six Aboriginal communities in WA’s Kimberley will see 400-600 kW solar arrays installed, supplanting diesel electricity generation. The program will be rolled out by Horizon Power, and ams to reduce the subsidy paid to the regional utility for the provision of power to remote sites. 

The Clean Energy Council is continuing to push back against new laws in Queensland that will compel solar installation work to be carrier out by a licensed electrician for arrays larger than 100 kW. It convened an “emergency roundtable” in Brisbane today to address the new rules. 

The latest figures from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) show that solar continues to eat into the share once firmly held by coal on the back of a dramatic increase in installations over the past 12 months. The trend was backed by energy storage facilities which continued to gain foothold as providers of frequency control and ancillary services, lowering overall costs in the first quarter of 2019.

In what is being claimed to be an Australian first, Natural Solar has installed a solar PV and storage system to Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) in South Australia, with an innovative approach to providing backup power supply. Natural Solar reports that the battery systems retain 20% charge at all times to ensure backup power supply. 

Australia’s Clean Energy Finance Corporation has invested more than $500 million in 12 climate bond issuances since it began investing in 2012, establishing a leadership position in this rapidly evolving investment channel.

Echoing a growing appetite for corporate renewable power purchase agreements in Australia, Ascham School has become the first school in New South Wales to ink a long-term deal with commercial electricity retailer Flow Power.

The Brisbane-based solar and storage developer has placed Lyon Solar, Lyon Battery Storage and Lyon Infrastructure Investments 1 into voluntary administration after being embroiled in a court case over a wind up notice issued by one of its investors.

The Israeli power electronics maker’s revenues and shipments keep rising as it absorbs more companies, but the pending increase in Section 301 tariffs in the United States leaves some clouds in the future.