States take over on climate change, but NSW and Queensland make patchy progress
With no new measures to the reduce emissions in the electricity sector and no renewable energy target beyond 2020, federal government leaves little room for hope for policy driven renewables expansion. At a state level, ambitious renewable energy targets could help fill the policy void to a certain extent, but some states are falling short of their self-imposed targets for either renewable energy or emissions reductions.
Industry urges consumers to do due diligence as Victoria’s Solar Homes scheme reopens
With the comeback of the Victorian government’s first-in best-dressed Solar Homes program, consumers are urged to do their due diligence as they rush to apply for popular rebates. If incorrectly installed, batteries are a serious safety risk, industry body Future Energy Skills underlines.
Australia edges closer to national hydrogen strategy
Nine issues papers have been developed following national and international consultation as Australia seeks to tap the global transition to lower emissions sources of energy.
WA’s novel solar lease popular with homebuyers at The Amble Estate
A housing development in Perth’s northern suburb Girrawheen is the first of its kind for Western Australia to provide a solar system with every home. Launched last year by provider Infinite Energy, the solar lease has proved to be a winner for homebuyers, resulting in a 40% saving on daytime power costs.
Solar Juice becomes REC Group partner
Solar Juice has signed an agreement to distribute REC Group modules in Australia – in particular to target commercial and industrial (C&I) customers. The announcement last week, made no note of the patent lawsuit that Hanwha Q Cells has brought against REC Group in Australia, which includes two of its distributors.
Victoria’s Solar Homes program returns with a bang
The first-in best-dressed Solar Homes program kicked off on Monday, with a half of solar rebates available in July snapped in the first day. The revamped scheme will be accompanied with a more stringent auditing program and other measures to optimize the rollout following difficulties that have plagued round one.
Flinders Uni steps up viability of next-generation solar cells
Researchers at Flinders University have been experimenting with producing phosphorene, a nanomaterial that could increase the efficiency of ultra-cheap solar cells by 10-20%.
Under new asset management — Australia’s utility-scale solar farms
Year two of Australia’s utility-scale solar boom and the first wave of defects liability periods is rolling to an end, providing new opportunities for long-term maintenance and optimisation of plant performance. This week the Smart Energy Council and SolarPlaza raised a conference in the name of Solar Asset Management, to help address risks and responsibilities for these and future solar farming.
Long read: Past and future glories for PV cell, module makers
Since 2009, when production capacity expansions began to outstrip demand for the first time, prices all along the solar supply chain fell, and have continued to do so almost continuously ever since. Simon Price, CEO of Exawatt, argues that solar is no longer in the ‘cost reduction era,’ and is now entering its ‘performance driven era,’ in which the goal for manufacturers is high performance at an acceptable cost, rather than acceptable performance at the lowest cost.
Milestones passed on the road to an Australian Performance Standard for Battery Testing
The Australian Battery Performance Standard Project (ABPS) was launched in June of 2018 and has now advanced into its second and last stage after completing an intensive period of analysis and calibration. Along with the recently completed ITP Renewables testing, Australia will soon have comprehensive standards across the board. The ratification of performance standards would solidify Australia’s place as a front-runner in the global battery storage industry.
