Clean Energy Council

Queensland’s Court of Appeal has dismissed the government’s application to enforce regulation requiring licensed electrical workers to mount and fix unplugged solar panels.

With a pronounced focus on safety and installer certification in the second round of Victoria’s landmark Solar Homes subsidy program, the Smart Energy Council (SEC) has renewed calls for its ‘whole of industry’ code to be incorporated into the program. SEC CEO John Grimes says that he broadly supports the focus on safety as “setting a high bar.” 

The Supreme Court of Queensland has ruled that a state government regulation requiring licensed electrical workers to mount and fix unplugged solar panels is invalid.

The developers of the 35 MW Brigalow Solar Farm are challenging the new solar installation rules introduced by the Queensland government.

The Queensland government has signed into law a controversial regulation for solar farms larger than 100 kW, which requires mounting, locating, fixing and removal of PV panels at solar farms to only be undertaken by licensed electricians. The move comes despite warnings that the new rules will put hundreds of local jobs at risk and could bring some projects to a standstill.

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 Queensland government has laid down regulations for solar farms that will allow only licensed electricians to install or remove PV panels. But the new rules will put hundreds of local jobs at risk and could bring some projects to a standstill, the Clean Energy Council (CEC) has warned.

A new report from the Clean Energy Council confirms 2018 shattered all records in terms of investment in renewables and capacity additions. The CEC finds that more than 2.3 GW of new renewable energy projects were completed in 2018. Both large-scale and rooftop solar experienced their best ever year.

The Coalition government has shortlisted 12 projects that could be eligible for taxpayer underwriting, and allocated $10 million to study the best way to meet the demand of energy-intensive industries in north and central Queensland. While there is no new coal among the shortlisted projects, the feasibility study promises to examine whether a new coal plant is viable in Collinsville.

The Victorian government is giving smaller solar installers eight months to sign up to the Clean Energy Council’s Solar Retailer Code of Conduct if they want to qualify for the Solar Homes program. For larger retailers, the deadline to become Approved Solar Retailers is July.