Japanese construction company Sekisui Heim used Star Wars droids to promote its net zero houses. It worked.
New housing estates in Australia may be built without a connection to the main grid, offering instead free electricity – and even free electric vehicles – to residents. Meanwhile, numerous towns are looking to buy back their grid from networks. Welcome to the new world of micro-grids.
91-year-old medical entrepreneur installs largest solar and battery storage array for an off-grid home. Hawaii and Australia seen as biggest off-grid markets.
Australia has all the ingredients to be world’s leading market on battery storage: Lots of solar, high prices, and a consumer base that is cost conscious and distrustful of incumbents. Add in a flash consumer product, and it has all the elements of an iPhone style revolution.
Panasonic targets Australia as first global market for battery storage, in deal with 3 utilities to trial 8kWh system. It says storage will double self consumption of solar households, but it intends to sell product through networks and retailers, challenging their business models.
AGL sees no mass market for battery storage before 2020, and is not sure Tesla product is suitable for Australia. It concedes it is behind in rooftop solar, but argues this is just one of basket of new technologies that will change consumer energy use. And it doesn't fear for its coal assets.
Panasonic to roll out battery storage for solar in Australia
SA network operator dares to go where Qld and WA governments feared to tread – higher network charges for solar households. The network justifies this by changing demand profiles, but will also look to shift hot water and pool pump use to daytime to make up for lost demand caused by PV production.
Tesla's lithium-ion technology isn’t the only battery on offer. Here's a quick survey of current battery technologies, and some that are in development.
Canadian Solar, one of the big three solar manufacturers, says solar PV costs to fall 25% in three years as module efficiencies improve.
Tell ‘em they’re dreaming! That’s what Darryl from the film The Castle would say when knocking back a "great deal". But what would he make of the new battery storage offerings?
SolarShare is seeking approval from ACT govt to build a 1MW community-owned solar farm in Canberra's Maruja Valley, alongside a commercial PV plant.
How quickly will households adopt battery storage, and will they be able to use Tesla to get off the grid?
Sydney group launches $20 million solar fund that will provide Power Purchase Agreement finance for small and medium enterprises, for systems up to 100kW.
Five graphs that show why battery storage will appeal to Australian households, and will damage the bottom line of Australian utilities.
Morgan Stanley says battery storage market could be worth $24bn, with half of all homes interested. It says Tesla Powerwall will deliver paybacks of 6 years or less in some states, and that is bad news for major utilities, whose earnings will be impacted.