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 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.
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
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?
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.
If Renewables Are So Cheap, Why Is South Australian Electricity So Expensive?
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’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.
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…]
Another Solar Myth Busted: No, Solar Panels Do Not Warm The Planet
Recently, I’ve noticed a number of solar myths coming back to haunt the comments section of this blog. Here’s the latest one:
“Those black solar panels actually heat the planet by increasing the amount of energy the earth absorbs from the sun? Ha! You never thought of that did you!”
Prepare For Even More Electricity Price Hikes
It’s October and Australia’s wholesale electricity price crisis has entered its sixth month. Massive retail electricity price hikes in the eastern states are becoming more likely (from July 2023). These could exceed 10 cents per kilowatt-hour.
This post is a quick update on the current situation, followed by a short whinge. [Read more…]
RSS - Posts
Currently Raging Debates: