One Step Off The Grid
Solar, storage and distributed energy news
Tamworth council set to save around $117,000 a year by installing solar on 12 council-owned facilities – but the return on investment wouldn't be as great if the local federal member had his way.
The body set up to oversee Victoria government's residential solar rebate warns consumers to be wary of “scammers and inaccurate marketing” by PV cowboys pushing dodgy products and trying to cash in on the scheme.
Greenpeace calls on New Zealand government to shift fossil fuel subsidies over to solar, to fund installation of rooftop PV and battery storage for 500,000 Kiwi homes.
Applications officially open for Victoria Labor’s 50% rooftop solar rebate, a scheme that has attracted more than 10,000 registrations of interest and a “flood of inquiries” since announced three weeks ago.
Victoria government amends planning laws to protect the state’s more than 330,000 rooftop solar systems from being overshadowed by neighbouring developments.
SA Liberal says Home Battery Scheme will offer $100m in subsidies for up to 40,000 households to install battery storage.
By encouraging households to install a VPP-ready, ‘smart’ solar system, the Victorian government can plant the seeds for the distributed, renewables-based grid of the future.
With the NEG in ruins, and Malcolm Turnbull holding on as PM by a thread, where does Australia's booming rooftop solar market stand? Are rebates still under threat? And what can the industry and pro-solar consumers do about it?
Big-three gen-tailer says it supports ACCC call to wind up the federal rooftop solar subsidy early, because of cost to consumers and because it's no longer needed. But other industry experts disagree, saying removing SRES early could add 45% to the cost of a system and four years more to its pay-back.
Apple creates “first-of-its-kind” investment fund, tapping greater purchasing power to expand the clean energy options available to its smaller Chinese suppliers.
Total of 30 public buildings in Victoria's Latrobe Valley set to have rooftop solar installed at no cost, as part of state govt scheme.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission - in a report on how electricity consumers have been ripped off by network companies, generators and retailers - has targeted the technology with the least impact, and probably biggest benefit - rooftop solar - for the most dramatic action.
Energy poverty is no longer restricted to a few older or low-income householders. We need new policy approaches as we transition to a low-carbon society.
Solar and green groups slam IPART decision to cut NSW solar feed-in tariff, compare it to "getting a pay cut for working overtime."
Survey finds 62% of businesses plan to invest in battery storage in next 18 months. But can governments and regulators keep up?
