Solar Trust Centre | Solar and Renewable Energy News

This Week in Solar: Cheap Solar and Wind’s Effect on the Australian Economy, Big Battery Era for Victoria, The Return of Solar Rebates

Written by Solar Trust Centre Team | Jun 19, 2019 7:42:21 PM

1. Cheap solar and wind can re-boot Australia’s economic advantage

Australia’s abundant wind and solar resources will deliver cost reductions in electricity of up to 30 per cent, lead to the electrification of much of transport, building and industrial use, and re-position Australia as major manufacturing centre with low cost and this time low carbon power.

2. Victorian college switches to 100% solar-wind electricity blend

Presbyterian Ladies’ College (PLC) has become one of the pioneering schools in Australia to commit to 100% renewable electricity.

3. Australia’s largest integrated battery and solar farm heralds big battery era for Victoria 

Australia’s largest integrated battery and solar farm in north-west Victoria ushers in a big lithium-ion battery era for the ‘solar state’.

4. Solar rebates to return on July 1 with first-in-best-dressed system

Victoria’s solar rebate scheme will be capped to about 3000 homes a month from July 1, in a revamped, first-in best-dressed system.

5. Interview: Smart Energy Council renews call for its code of conduct to be used for Solar Homes

With a pronounced focus on safety and installer certification in the second round of Victoria’s landmark Solar Homes subsidy program, the Smart Energy Council (SEC) has renewed calls for its ‘whole of industry’ code to be incorporated into the program.

6. Renewables still setting strong pace in South Australia

In the past three months, applications for almost 1.7 gigawatts of renewable energy generation across six projects have been assessed by the South Australian Government’s State Planning Commission.

7. How to avoid the looming waste crisis from Australia’s solar energy boom

As Australians seek to control rising energy costs and tackle the damaging impacts of climate change, rooftop solar has boomed. The question is: what will happen to these panels and batteries once they reach the end of their life?