One Step Off The Grid
Solar, storage and distributed energy news
The head of a Queensland solar company is taking his home off-grid, using a Samsung 10.8kWh battery storage – the first time it has been used this way. Steve Madson says his move off-grid is being forced by huge network charges, and he expects many others to follow.
North American asset management giant Brookfield and its utility offshoot look to use solar and storage to remove need for new housing developments to connect to the grid. First stop: the Hunter Valley.
Electricity wholesaler L&H Group is to install 1.1MW of rooftop solar across its network as part of an alliance with clean energy retailing subsidiary Go Energy.
Gosford City Council has decided to install 435kW of rooftop solar on seven council facilities in a move it says should save it more than $80,000 a year in electricity costs.
Consumers are being caught unawares by tariff changes that could change the economics of rooftop solar. Networks are introducing demand tariffs that could halve the rate of solar installations. It means that in some cases, adding solar could result in a higher bill overall.
In one Australian city, the cost of rooftop solar is just one third that of grid power. Because of the cost advantage, rooftop solar on households is expected to account for one fifth of Australia’s electricity generation.
Launch of community-owned renewable energy developer in northern Rivers attracts more then 300 people, with three projects already on the cards.
Enova Energy becomes first community owned retailer to be awarded a licence, potentially providing a model in way energy is marketed in Australia.
To quit the grid, or not. With battery storage, it’s a choice that households in regional areas, towns, and even in the suburbs of our major cities, are going to be able to make. Greg Hunt says it’s inevitable large numbers will quit the grid, but is it a good idea?
Ecoult, Australian maker of lead acid “ultra” battery, to take on lithium-ion rivals with commercial and residential battery storage products.
