Posts By Staff Writer On SolarQuotes

Will solar power in Australia take its cue from overseas in 2014?

December 16, 2013 2017-10-25T10:09:07 by 2 Comments
us flag on a solar panel

Solar installation growth in the US is picking up. In Australia it is slowing. Is Australia destined to always play catch up with our more powerful friends?

A US-centred news article that made your correspondent sit up and take notice this week in the SQHQ bunker came via the excellent RenewableEnergyWorld. The piece summarised a recent report from by GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) in the US, that reported massive growth in solar energy in the country.

The study found 930 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaics (PV) installed in Q3 2013, which was an increase of 20 percent over Q2 2013 and a huge 35 percent over Q3 2012.

The report discussed the takeup of photovoltaics increasing to an extent that puts the US ahead of Germany in PV rankings for the first time. According to the article, the United States has now assumed world leadership in photovoltaics along with China, Japan and Germany. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Solar Policy

The gutting of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation: is Howard a ray of hope?

December 9, 2013 2017-10-25T10:09:18 by 12 Comments
John Howard and a ray of light

Is John Howard a CEFC fan?

Just when you thought the gathering of the dark clouds of the new government’s blitzkrieg against renewable energy initiatives was complete, a tiny ray of sunshine bursts through the gathering gloom. Or has it? I speak this week of the uncertainty over the dumping of the showcase Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC).

The ray of sunshine, if it is such, comes in the unlikely form of Arthur “Svengali” Sinodinos, who many will remember as being one of the inner cabal that served John “carbon tax” Howard, noted PM and Australia’s worst off spinner.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Solar Policy Tagged With: ,

Japan puts solar on the moon to solve the world’s energy needs.

December 2, 2013 2017-10-25T10:09:32 by 12 Comments
solar-moon

Build A Rocket Boys!

As regular readers will have picked up, here at SQHQ we enjoy covering the latest innovation in alternative energy sources. Last week we brought you the wonderful work being done in fundraising for solar power by CORENA (Citizens Own Renewable Energy Network Australia). CORENA’s ethos of operating through small, community-based donations for solar projects is close to our heart here at the SQHQ bunker.

However this week we’re going the big picture. The bloody BIG picture.

We’re talking of a project to solve the world’s energy problems by putting a solar power plant on the Moon.

That’s right and with many interesting ideas that come from left field, this one comes from the land of the rising solar energy source: Japan. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Big Solar Tagged With:

Innovation rules OK? Charity’s approach to clean energy fundraising pays dividends

November 24, 2013 2017-10-25T10:09:44 by 21 Comments
CORENA - Citizens doing it for themselves

CORENA – Citizens doing it for themselves

Two subjects we always like to cover in these pages are good news Australian solar stories and innovation and inventiveness with regard to clean energy fund raising. So the planets must have been in alignment when Finn bailed up your correspondent this week at the SQHQ water cooler and told me about CORENA.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Economics Of Solar Tagged With:

Is renewable energy in Australia a train wreck?

November 18, 2013 2017-10-25T10:09:56 by 9 Comments

solar-train-wreckIts been a grim time for solar fans over the last week or so as the promised cutbacks, slashes and hatchet jobs on all forms of renewable energy Australia unfold before our horrified eyes. It’s been a bit like watching a bad B Grade film; you know the ones that haven’t even got the wit to take the rise out of themselves.

Watching the Godzilla of Abbott government policy smashing its way across our wide brown land can also be described as being akin to watching a slow motion train wreck. (Too much metaphor mixing is barely enough I always say readers!) First it was the promised repeal of the carbon tax with all the accompanying chest thumping and anti-renewable energy grunting and gnashing of teeth from cheer squads in the press and frontbench. Then there was the slashing of funding for the renewable energy agency ARENA in the interest of cost cutting and (dare I say it) promises made to vested interests. At least we can’t say we weren’t warned! [Read more…]

Filed Under: Solar Policy Tagged With:

Misinformation used again to undermine renewable energy target

November 11, 2013 2017-10-25T10:10:10 by 15 Comments
solar lies

The Renewable Energy Target is Under Attack!

About two weeks ago we delivered a broadside against Origin Energy’s and the NSW State government’s apparent war against solar power. As you may recall, SQHQ considers the attempt by traditional energy utilities to influence the 2014 review of the renewable energy target (RET), to be part of a wider campaign against solar power. This driven in most part by misinformation. The latest manifestation is an Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) recommendation that solar households be charged more to use energy utilities’ infrastructure.

At the risk of being accused by solar narks of being a bunch of swivel-eyed, cherry-picking, cardigan-wearing, latte-sipping, conspiracy theorists, this latest use of the misinformation appears at the heart of an anti-renewable campaign. As a certain nasty little gentleman from history once said: “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it”. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Solar Policy Tagged With:

Talking perovskite: the new kid on the solar cell block

November 4, 2013 2017-10-25T10:10:21 by 9 Comments
panel from russia

From Russia WIth Love: Perovskite could reduce solar costs by 75%

One of the many advantages of solar energy is its charge down the cost curve as new technologies outstrip old in performance and cost. This week at SQHQ we’re dusting off the crystal ball and looking into the future of solar power. Specifically we’ll be checking out perovskite; the “new kid on the block” (with all the rave reviews). Perovskite is considered to have the potential to replace silicon in solar cells. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Solar Panels Tagged With: , , , ,

Origin Energy’s propaganda war against renewables

October 27, 2013 2023-09-13T14:08:14 by 11 Comments
origin not love renewables

The sorry state of origin’s stance on renewables…

Australian energy utility Origin Energy is under the SQHQ microscope this week readers. More specifically their claim that the carbon tax and subsidies for green schemes are the chief cause of the rise in the average electricity bill. Your correspondent received his bill from Origin on Thursday. While never a pleasant experience this was made worse by a clear message situated prominently on the lower right side of the document in big red letters.

NSW Govt estimates that the Federal carbon tax and green energy schemes add about $332 a year to a typical 6.5MWh household bill.

Sounds nasty readers but is it true?

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Solar Policy Tagged With: , ,

Bushfires in Australia: who’s going to talk about the elephant in the room?

October 21, 2013 2024-07-03T15:17:42 by 12 Comments
bushfire

Photo Credit: flickr user bertknot

A worrying time for your correspondent this week readers as bushfires, which have claimed well over a hundred properties continue to rage in my region of the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney.

While my town is safe for now, bushfires rage further up the Mountains and down in the Lower Mountains where over the bulk of property loss has occurred. This is not to ignore other bushfires in Australia occurring in other tinder-dry regions where unseasonably hot conditions and lack of decent rain is a major problem.

Now is not the time to pontificate as the emergency situation is still very real according to the Rural Fire Service however when the time comes for sitting down and evaluating the loss, will the subject of a changing climate be included? Controversy rages higher than any bushfire on this subject with many people saying that the jury is still out on the human cause of climate change. This is not to dismiss their point of view. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Solar Policy Tagged With: ,

Solar storage breakthrough spoils nark’s party

October 14, 2013 2017-10-25T10:11:10 by 26 Comments
solar power station and solar nark

Solar has gone 24/7 – and on a massive scale.

When it comes to policy backflips on alternative energy sources it’s been a nark’s world here in Australia. It would be incorrect to generalise, but I’m going to anyway; there is now a preponderance of knuckle-dragging, climate deniers in office in state and federal governments. Many of whom are looking to increase subsidies to their favourite fossil fuel energy source of choice and winding back any previous legislation that could be called remotely progressive. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Big Solar Tagged With: ,
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