Posts By Ronald Brakels, Author & Fact-Checker At SolarQuotes

ACT Pensioner Rebates For Solar & To Help Ditch Gas: How To Apply

Canberra pensioner rebates for solar and ditching gas

If you’re an ACT pensioner interested in getting solar panels installed; provided you live in your own home, I have good news.  To help meet their target of zero net emissions by 2045, the ACT Government is offering a rebate of up to $2,500.

But this isn’t the only good news I have. [Read more…]

Randwick City Council Solar, Battery & Other Rebates Explained

Solar and battery rebates in Randwick LGA

Randwick City Council Has Buckets Of Solar, Battery & Sustainability Rebates

There are a lot of local councils in Australia, but there’s none better than Sydney’s Randwick Council. Their incentives are so generous a household could receive rebates of up to… [Read more…]

Good News! 2022 Was The Worst Year Ever For Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Carbon emissions and coal power

2022 is on its final legs and soon to expire.  Even though it’s disrespectful to speak ill of the soon-to-be departed, I’m going to come straight out and say — when it came to greenhouse gas emissions — 2022 was the absolute worst. [Read more…]

Yes, Heat Reduces Solar Panel Output. But Not Enough To Worry About

Solar panels in summer - heat impact on performance

Solar panel temperature is typically at least 20ºC above ambient temperature.

Solar panel output is hurt by heat. The hotter they are, the lower their efficiency. This seems like a major drawback for something deliberately exposed to the Australian sun. In practice, it’s not something anyone with a solar power system needs to worry about. This is because our hottest days … usually have the most sunshine. [Read more…]

The Best Nuclear Fusion Reactor Is 93 Million Miles Away. Here’s Why.

Nuclear fusion as a source of energy

If you’ve been paying attention, you’ve probably heard about a recent breakthrough in nuclear fusion. But if you missed it because you were distracted by Elon Musk’s latest buffoonery, you’re forgiven. [Read more…]

Allume SolShare Makes It Easier For Stratas To Go Solar

Solar on apartments - Allume Energy Solshare review

Putting solar panels on a Strata property is often tricky. There can be technical challenges with the design and installation, not to mention the political challenges of dealing with multiple owners and a shared roof.

Making solar power easy for people in multiple occupancy buildings is a tough nut to crack.  Some good news is Allume Energy appears to have developed a powerful nutcracker in its SolShare system that distributes energy from one large solar system to multiple users in a building. [Read more…]

Should You Get Solar Tiles Instead Of Solar Panels?

Tesla solar roof tiles

A Tesla Solar Roof. Image: Tesla

I recently attended the 2022 All Energy Australia conference in Melbourne.  There was a lot on display, including some Building Integrated PV (BIPV) I hadn’t seen before.

[Read more…]

If Renewables Are So Cheap, Why Is South Australian Electricity So Expensive?

Electricity prices in SA - renewables and gas

Recently I wrote about South Australia going from zero to 70% renewable energy generation in 16 years, resulting in:

  • reduced greenhouse gas emissions
  • improved air quality
  • lower electricity prices than we’d have without those renewables

But – although our electricity prices would be much higher without renewable energy, electricity prices – overall – have still trended up over those 16 years. And that’s because many things affect electricity pricing. [Read more…]

South Australia Reaches 70% Renewables

SA renewable energy vs. fossil fuels

SA’s electricity generation mix: Green = Renewables, Black = Fossil, Purple = Imports.

In 2007, less than 1% of South Australia’s electricity came from renewable sources.  An army of trolls claimed it was impossible for intermittent renewables to power more than 20% of SA’s grid. [Read more…]

I’ve Calculated CO2 Emissions From Solar Farm Land Clearing: It’s Bugger All.

Australian solar farms and land clearing

The best place for solar panels is on your roof. Despite this, over one-third of our solar electricity comes from large-scale solar farms. Their construction can involve land clearing that releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.  

These emissions aren’t good, but they are trivial next to those from fossil fuel generation. [Read more…]

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