This week’s big ticket news item for the solar industry and its consumers was the fillip given to the sector by the federal government’s long-awaited carbon tax announcement.

While there is some debate over whether or not the carbon price announced last weekend will go far enough to achieve its primary purpose (i.e. significantly decrease the level of carbon emissions in Australia) there appears to be little doubt that the renewable energy incentives attached to the legislation will go a long way towards rejuvenating the renewables sector, particularly solar energy.

“Solar on steroids” was how John Grimes, chief executive of the AustralianSolarEnergySociety (AuSES) described the Clean Energy Future announcement, adding that the solar industry was the real winner to emerge from the package. He focused on the earmarking of $10 billion, half of which will be made available for the renewable sector from a new investment bank, hailing it as a major step forward. [Read more…]