The Ghost Of Christmas Present
Regular readers of this column may have noticed that we haven’t always been that kind to Martin “Fossil Fuel” Ferguson, our Minister for Resources. And we haven’t been alone in mercilessly pointing to the Minister for Resources’ predilection for fossil fuels, his apparent unwillingness to listen to new ideas and his brushing aside of renewable energy such as solar power in favour of vested fossil fuel interests. [Read more…]
As climate talks negotiators ride off into the Qatari desert mostly empty handed and the world’s media trots out the usual “lost opportunity” stories for his year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference, it may be time to look at what might have been for renewable energy projects for smaller “frontline” climate state victims in our region. [Read more…]
Every now and then here at Solar Quotes HQ we like to tear ourselves away from the short sighted solar power policies of our elected representatives and gaze at overseas solar energy trends. Are other countries’ solar sectors hamstrung by suffering cutback after cutback in solar feed-in tariffs? Do they have the equivalent of our conservative regimes cutting back on renewables almost as soon as they gets their bums on the seats in their respective state parliaments?
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Those of you old enough to have watched the 1980 and 1990s TV series Dallas would no doubt have enjoyed the shenanigans of Larry Hagman, who as the abominable J.R. Ewing was the chief nasty person and “can do” oilman willing to go to any lengths to achieve power and profit for the family company.
Greg ‘kneejerk’ Combet seems to enjoy the solar coaster
What solar buyers need to know: If you buy a solar system after the 16th November 2012, you have to have it installed before Jan 1 2013 to claim the current rebate. If your system is installed after that date your solar system will cost approximately $1,000 more regardless of what size you buy.
Well that was quick wasn’t it? Just when you thought the Federal Government’s collective speed on any given issue was only marginally faster than my first car (a VW Type 3: nought to 50 kms/hr in 30 minutes) … out comes a lightning-fast decision from the desk of Climate Change Minister Greg “Coalface” Combet. [Read more…]
Tokelau is 100% Solar Woo-Hoo!
Solar energy in the Pacific took a giant leap forward this week when New Zealand-controlled territory Tokelau completed the switch from diesel to solar as its main fuel source. Tokelau is now nearly 100 percent reliant on the sun for its power needs and its model is showing the way for the rest of the world. [Read more…]
Solar only for the rich? You won’t see many solar panels in Pott’s Point! Photo: Flickr – philoye
There’s a false perception in Australia — perpetrated in part by the anti-solar brigade and their fellow travellers — that the only people who invest in domestic solar systems are those who are rich. According to this theory it is only those in the more affluent parts of Australia that have the resources to afford solar panels. Working and lower middle class families apparently don’t have them on their roofs because they are out of their price range. [Read more…]
Nanosilicon contacts like these can go underneath the solar cell instead of on top where they block some of the sunlight. Pic: Bandgap Engineering
It must be really depressing being a solar nark these days. With the increased popularity of solar power throughout Australia and the world, and regular announcements of improvements in technology, better storage capacity and cheaper prices, solar power is going through the roof (or on the roof). The more the narks whine about what they see as the limited capacity of solar, the more breakthroughs in technology occur to push back the possibilities of clean, solar, renewable energy future for our world. [Read more…]
The news of a Inquiry into Solar at Port Augusta is awesome! But let’s hope it is not hijacked by vested interests…
Recent efforts by solar activists to force the South Australian government to replace the current coal-fired station at Port Augusta with a solar thermal power station appear to have borne some fruit. Last week SA Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis announced the setting up of an inquiry into the feasibility of building a solar thermal power plant to replace the ageing fossil fuel plants that currently supply 40 percent of SA’s energy. [Read more…]
Spinach doesn’t only make Popeye kick ass – it might help make dirt cheap solar panels too.
We cover quite a bit in this column in our quest to bring you (the reader) up to speed on the latest in solar policy, news and development. From solar cars, to government policy (or lack of) to the latest solar technology to hit our shores. But we’ve yet to talk vegetables, their obvious benefits and how this relates to solar power. This week we change all that. [Read more…]
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