Solar News Blog
Renewable-Energy
A micro-hydro system can produce sustainable power 24hrs a day, if you have a property that has a water course with a significant drop in height.
Head to the NSW Liberal government website and you will find a strap line reading: “After 100 days in office we’ve shown we’re a Government that delivers”.
John Davis from the Rainbow Power Company
The NSW Government could save more than $1 billion from the State’s Solar Bonus Scheme without slashing the amount it pays households for solar power.
Read the whole article by Alex Easton, Northern Star here
Nigel Morris, solar consultant from Solar Business Services has sent a Request for Freedom of Information to the New South Wales Government, saying this was a last resort to obtain information about the Solar Bonus Scheme.
Solar industry representatives had previously asked for the Coalition's modelling data, with specific requests for: the kilowatts installed up until the most recent reporting period under net metering and gross metering at 60 cents and 20 cents and the capacity applied for, but not yet installed, under net and gross metering. These requests had not been met, leading to the FOI request.
Read the ABC article here
West Australian Energy Minister Peter Collier has thrown his support behind a national solar feed-in tariff.
Chris Hartcher, the NSW Minister for Energy, is to call upon the Federal government to introduce a Federal feed-in-tariff when he attends the next meeting of the Council for Australian Governments in June. Currently all states are offering differing tariffs, with WA reducing it’s scheme from 40c to 20c per kwh this week.
Read this article from The Land for the full story here
PREMIER Barry O’Farrell made a plea for unity in the party room yesterday after he was told by his own MPs to fix the solar bonus scheme or face an all-out mutiny.
Lismore solar companies and consumers are outraged over the State Government's decision to reduce the Solar Bonus Scheme.
The O’Farrell Government plans to drop the feed-in tariff from 60 to 40 cents, but has offered a hardship package as a concession.
NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell and Energy Minister Chris Hartcher today announced special provisions would be put in place to protect those with genuine hardship cases resulting from the NSW Government’s changes to the Solar Bonus Scheme.
The New South Wales Government has capitulated to public pressure by promising compensation for those hurt by its cuts to a solar rebate scheme.
Article by Sean Nicholls, Sydney Morning Herald
The solar-energy industry is pressuring the NSW government to find an alternative funding solution for the solar bonus scheme by releasing its proposal to MPs before today’s cabinet meeting and tomorrow’s joint party meeting.
NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell has smoothed the way for a backdown on his unpopular plan to slash solar feed-in tariffs, saying he will consider alternative proposals as long as the $759 million shortfall is met.
After a pretty good start, things aren’t going so well for NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell. First, there was his imaginary budget black hole, which turned out not to be a black hole, but a piece of bizarre political posturing that only made him look like a rank amateur.
From California to Germany to China, the solar industry is booming. Last year alone, more than 18,200 MW of solar power was installed worldwide.
The O’Farrell government’s proposal to slash the NSW solar scheme is not only a broken promise, it is unjust and unfair on the NSW people.
New data reportedly showing the cost of NSW’s Solar Bonus Scheme has been overstated is a get out of jail card for Premier Barry O’Farrell, Greens MP John Kaye says.
The Premier, Barry O’Farrell, has been forced into negotiations with the minor parties holding the balance of power in the upper house after a backlash against planned changes to the solar bonus scheme, with anger growing among his backbench before a party room meeting on Tuesday.
Rainbow Power Company and Nickel Energy of Lismore were instrumental in organising a last minute solar rally in the heart of Lismore today. A group of frustrated members of the community took over the CBD, in protest at the government’s recent decision to reduce the solar power feed-in tariff. The protesters said they felt “ripped off” and are hoping the state government will see the light.
Solar panel owners, rally in Lismore after a plan by the State Government to slash the amount of money (60 to 40 cents per kilowatt hour) paid for electricity fed into the power grid by solar panel systems.
Solar Energy Industries Association chairman Ged McCarthy says customers and workers are angry about the NSW Government's plan to reduce a solar power rebate.
A new lobby group needs your help in convincing the state government to retain the current feed-in tariff.
The Australian Solar Energy Society (AuSES) is calling on media, business, consumers, installers, families and people interested in a sustainable future for Australia to rally to save solar.
The NSW Government’s announcement to retrospectively change legislation guaranteeing $0.60c/kWh for PV system owners (to $0.40c/kWh) has sent chills down the spine of the solar industry.
Up to 110,000 participants in the state government’s solar bonus scheme will have the rate they are paid for generating electricity slashed from 60¢ a kilowatt hour to 40¢ from July, a move that will save the NSW budget an estimated $470 million.
Australian governments, both State and Federal, have tried hundreds of policies and programs over the past decade to reduce carbon emissions in the energy sector. A new study by Grattan Institute which was launched at the seminar investigated their impact and identified the patterns. This seminar featured Grattan Institute authors, energy policy experts, and politicians discussing what lessons we can learn for Australian policy. What programs are worth keeping, and what programs should be set up, with or without the carbon price currently proposed by the Federal Government?
Link to podcast and powerpoint
We install solar systems in Northern NSW and Southern QLD.
QLD:
Gold Coast (from Coolangatta to Southport), Nerang and Hinterland (Beaudesert) and out West (Warwick, Stanthorpe, Killarney)
NSW:
Northern NSW (Tweed Heads to Yamba, including Evans Head, Byron Bay and Ballina); the Far North Coast Hinterland (Grafton via Lismore to Murwillumbah) and out West (Casino to Tenterfield, including Drake and Tabulam, as well as Woodenbong and Bonalbo)
For larger system we also go up to Brisbane or down to Coffs Harbour and even Glen Innes. Other places by arrangement.
Share this page