Two regional NSW businesses have won state funding towards initiatives being developed to address Australia’s growing solar panel waste problem.
Community solar garden using second-hand panels among NSW grant recipients
Policy
Plenty of promise for solar households, but ESB report delivers no windfalls
Some mainstream media hot takes on the ESB's long-awaited market redesign paint solar households as big winners. But is that accurate?
What does the “solar tax” mean for consumers? Here are six key takeaways
Here are 6 key takeaways from the AEMC’s decision on the proposed solar tax. Number 1. It’s complicated!
Kimberley town taps solar and battery to cut energy costs, boost resilience
Solar on 13 buildings – including at the local pool – to save remote WA town $170,000 a year on electricity costs, with more solar and a community battery to come.
Complicated, costly and frustrating: How to avoid getting burnt on home solar
New research shows we need better support for the millions of Australian households and businesses that have invested in new, clean energy technologies.
Rooftop solar for renters: ANU study seeks best policies to bridge the energy divide
Energy Consumers Australia backs ANU-led research into which policy interventions are likely to succeed in making rooftop solar more equally available to renters.
Sydney solar industry gets some Covid relief, as Victoria and SA get back to work
NSW rooftop solar industry handed slight reprieve, just as restrictions ease in both Victoria and South Australia. But some parts of Greater Sydney still in strict lockdown.
City of Melbourne plans “neighbourhood-scale” battery network
City of Melbourne seeks partners to establish a network of “neighbourhood-scale” battery energy storage systems as part of a pilot project planned for 2022.
Survey suggests doubling of home battery uptake in Queensland
Queensland energy minister says new statewide household energy survey has shown a doubling of participants claiming to have installed home battery storage.
Broome households snap up 900kW of new rooftop solar capacity released by WA grid
Households in Broome snap up nearly 1MW of rooftop solar hosting capacity within hours of it being released by the state’s regional network operator.
Community-owned battery launches in Yackandandah – Victoria’s first
A community battery that will underpin the 100% renewable plans of Yackandandah has been officially launched, alongside a 64kW rooftop solar array.
Regulator reminds networks of multiple ways that rooftop solar benefits the grid
AER reminds electricity networks to factor in the multiple benefits of rooftop solar to the grid when determining the cost of investments to accommodate increasing amounts of DER.
Solar export tax proposal put on hold after flood of competing ideas
Regulator to have a longer think about rooftop solar export tax proposal after a flood of objections and alternative ideas.
Rooftop solar is not the preserve of the wealthy, so why tax it?
VEPC report skewers one of the key arguments used in case for solar export tax: that rooftop PV is a play-thing for the well-to-do.
AEMO looks to smarter ways of managing abundant rooftop solar
South Australia should place a sunset date on the rooftop solar cut-off mechanism, particularly once the SA-NSW inter-connector is operational.
Victoria defends success of Solar Homes program, after scathing auditor report
Victorian auditor general finds the teething troubles of the Solar Homes rebate could have been avoided with better planning and questions the overall success of the scheme.
