It's no secret that solar energy, and in particular solar PV, has been keenly adopted by a number of Australian households eager to make use of the sun and heat Australia provides all the while slashing their energy bills.
As traditional energy prices rise and uncertainty reigns concerning the future of the planet's climate, more people are willing to venture into the realm of solar power and renewable energy sources.
Take Queensland for example. According to Design Build Source, in 2012 31,990 new rooftop solar systems were connected under the Queensland government's Solar Bonus Scheme, propelling the state into a great example of rooftop solar success.
A report released by market analysts Sunwiz and Solar Business Services, as featured in RenewEconomy, forecasts that in the next five years this kind of trend is set to continue.
It predicts that by 2017 the solar PV market in Australia could read the 10 GW mark, reaching saturation levels in a number of areas.
Currently, residential properties have been the focus of solar pv, and according to the Sunbiz report, the solar panel industry will have to focus on more challenging sectors such as the commercial sector, utility-scale solar farms and other forms of residential properties, such as apartments and rented homes.
Under the current carbon pricing scheme, it seems like the perfect time to focus on the commercial sector as many companies have already begun to take steps to reduce their emissions and switch to some renewable energy sources in order to avoid fines.
Properties such as rental homes and a proliferation of more utility-sized solar farms may need a more comprehensive strategy going ahead as they both involve many challenges such as practicality, logistics and ownership.
Posted by Mike Peacock