Why not pitch in and buy a community solar system with your mates?
While our recent articles on big Aussie banks and respected mining services companies picking up the solar baton have been a huge encouragement for solar fans, news has been not as good lately in what passes for government (and alternative government) policy. Should we therefore be thinking of the burgeoning grass roots community solar movement as another way forward to the Promised Land of a renewable energy Australia?
Why don’t more SMEs have solar on their roof?
OK, I admit it – that was a headline designed to get your attention if you own or operate a small or medium sized business (I’m also a sucker for bad puns).
But it’s just that I feel the need to shout from the rooftops about the insane returns that SMEs can get from commercial solar right now due to the combination of:
How many panels can you connect to your inverter?
It is common practice, when designing a solar system, to ‘undersize’ the solar inverter, by connecting more panels than the inverter appears to be rated for.
This can freak out some solar customers when they see, for example 3.25kW of panels proposed to be connected to a 3kW inverter in their solar quote.
Confused?
Let me explain the nuances of solar inverter sizing… [Read more…]
The winning entry. Credit RHS.
As regular readers would know, it is this column’s opinion that nothing beats a win over the Brits in an international comp. Now things haven’t gone so well in recent years with proud Aussies being forced to surrender the Ashes and we don’t want to talk about the Olympics! [Read more…]
Will solar suffer in the Battle for Bums on Seats?
All solar fans’ eyes were turned to the budget this week as Treasurer Wayne “The Knife” Swan brought down his sixth budget (gee doesn’t time fly Swanny?). So how did solar energy (and renewables in general) fare in the Budget? Did we do OK ? Or was it a case of solar energy being once again the target as cuts are made? [Read more…]
Belgians living in Flanders are now taxed for owning solar power!
Know how you wake up in a cold sweat after a particularly bad nightmare readers? And I mean really bad dream (no not the one about NSW premier big, bad Barry “Bumper” O’Farrell and the three feed-in tariffs — that’s another story). Sitting bolt upright as your eyes slam awake you look around and calm yourself by saying “Thank [insert deity], it was all a dream”. Well your correspondent had the same visceral reaction when a particularly piece of nasty news reached his inbox this week.
Though, regrettably, the “it was only a dream” part may be questionable. [Read more…]
They are probably not demonstrating against AGLs solar business!
photo credit: flickr – kateausburn
Unless you’ve been living a hermit’s existence with no access to news outlets, the Internet or NSW premier Barry “Bumper” O’Farrell’s rants you’ll have heard the constant chorus “Frack Off!” being directed at the (not-so-green) gas industry led by AGL. The choice insult refers of course to the gas industry’s latest controversial method of extracting gas by fracturing deeply buried rock using a pressurised fluid. [Read more…]
Is this what Sunwiz’s Solar Intelligence Officers look like?
Sometimes the mind boggles at the sheer scale of the solar energy revolution in Australia. A recent finding by SunWiz, the respected solar industry intelligence providers, has pointed to a potential massive increase in solar power generation in the country.
Putting aside the fact that “solar industry intelligence” brings to mind balaclava-clad, ASIO-style sleuths operating behind the lines on people’s rooftops collecting solar information, the findings are great news. According to the company’s report, the Australian PV market could crack a substantial 10 gigawatts — up from our current 2.5 GW — as early as 2017. [Read more…]
Panel prices have dropped 80% in 4 years – can they get any cheaper?
If you want to buy some absolute junk you can currently buy bottom end, ultra cheap solar panels for $0.50 per Watt. But I wouldn’t recommend it. Unless you want to risk your roof turning into a giant barbecue.
Most solar panel factories have been losing money hand over fist for at least the last couple of years. Many of the largest companies have lost many hundreds of millions. This has led many observers to believe that solar panel manufacturers will have to start raising prices in order to survive. In fact there is evidence of this starting to happen with panel prices rising slightly in the first 2 months of 2013.
So is this the end of dirt cheap solar panels? [Read more…]
“Me Barnaby – Me like fire and coal. Grunt Grunt”
As the country is dragged reluctantly — like a kid from a lolly shop — into election mode following the Prime Minister’s Jan. 30 early announcement, it is instructive to see where the mainstream media turned much of its attention. To which party is best suited to handle the economy? The environment? Climate change? Energy policy? No. Much of the media’s focus has been on the significance of the PM’s new glasses.
Will the new glasses signify a new 20/20 “vision splendid” for the nation’s energy policy? A policy of engaging with renewables (particularly solar power)? Or do they signify a myopic energy policy dedicated to continuing support of fossil fuel subsidies? [Read more…]
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