Whilst pollies spent the week campaigning, Aussie researchers made the biggest breakthrough in solar efficiency in years.
Used to being marginalised during election campaigns, the renewables sector hasn’t exactly sprung to the centre of attention during the latest most important election since the last one. However there are signs that the two major parties are taking notice of the Australian electorate’s overwhelming support for a strong renewable energy policy as we dip into the election renewables news roundup for the second week.
The latest results from a survey, conducted by ReachTEL for a number of environmental groups, shows a whopping 64 percent of the 2400 Aussies surveyed would support a party that promises to deliver 100 percent renewables in 20 years. The poll also found that 56.4 percent want the government to do more to combat climate change and said the strong support of Australians for solar power could be a key factor in the result of the upcoming election.
The big political event with regard to renewables was the National Press Club’s toe-to-toe between the Environment Minister Greg Hunt and his Opposition counterpart Mark Butler. While the Minister has the unenviable task of trying to defend being the smiling face of the Abbott years, Mr Butler spoke of a certain bipartisanship in combatting climate change …whatever that will mean.
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2016/05/18/bipartisan-climate-change-policy-challenge
The Greens meanwhile are doing their darndest to attract attention to their $2.9 billion program to “jumpstart the battery industry” which, I think you’ll agree, is at the very least an imaginative slogan!
But really, the big news of the week was from our very University of New South Wales where the world-renowned research team, led by Prof Martin Green — the Don Bradman of Australian photovoltaics — and Dr Mark Keevers has smashed the world record for solar efficiency for solar cells using unfocused sunlight. This is an achievement that could have major repercussions for the future of photovoltaics. Amid concerns raised by the team for future solar research and development in Australia, will the major parties take notice?
http://reneweconomy.com.au/2016/unsw-achieves-huge-leap-in-solar-efficiency-29541
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I watch a program last night which told the story about two chaps from Sydney who have started a company called Flirty [Drones – Automated Delivery Systems] and have now taken their idea to the US where they were successful in obtaining venture capital to take their idea to market.
For what ever reason Australian Government and Australians generally just don’t get it because whilst we might have the idea’s we appear not to have the money or the vision to capitalise on many of them. It is probably the same for innovations in Solar.
I fear that you are correct Ant. Thanks for the input.
Rich
We are going to have installed [August] an 1.2 kW Enphase Battery so that over a period to time we can get the system size right. This morning I posted another instalment at this URL:
https://www.facebook.com/hushenergy/posts/557541627786254?comment_id=559749327565484¬if_t=like¬if_id=1464593954395010
which may be of interest. For us and our circumstances we believe that the focus of financial viability should be the ROI. Others would claim otherwise but I guess it is where you sit in life from an age perspective.
Given I am well and truly above retirement age I am not looking for anything other than how to reduce my energy costs and where my nest egg best works for me. This may make no commercial sense to others who will make their own decisions about the efficacy of Solar and Batteries.
So lets all get behind Tindo Solar, being the LAST company making panels here onshore and keep Aussies in jobs, even if it may cost a bit more per watt but a pitance compared to cost per watt ten years ago.
Please be nice , I am just a dumb diesel fitter- Iain