This Week in Solar: Solar Energy Powers Lobethal Sewer Network in Australia

1. Solar Energy Powers Lobethal Sewer Network in Australia

Installed at Lobethal’s sewer pump station, the 266 ground-mounted solar photovoltaic panels will generate around 160 megawatt hours of clean, green energy every year, which is enough to power more than 25 average South Australian homes for a year.

2. GE solar inverters now available in Australian market

GE solar inverters are now available for purchase in the Australian market. No other country in the world has access to these products yet.

3. Against the odds, South Australia is a renewable energy powerhouse. How on Earth did they do it?

Less than two decades ago, South Australia generated all its electricity from fossil fuels. Last year, renewables provided a whopping 60% of the state’s electricity supply. The remarkable progress came as national climate policy was gripped by paralysis – so how did it happen?

4. Renewable energy could render five of Australia’s remaining coal plants unviable by 2025

Up to five of Australia’s remaining 16 coal power plants could be financially unviable by 2025 due to a flood of cheap solar and wind energy entering the electricity grid, a new report suggests.

5. Approval for Australia’s first large scale solar-panel recycling plant

Reclaim PV Recycling announced it has committed to a long-term lease and has obtained development approval for the establishment of a solar panel recycling facility at Lonsdale, South Australia.

6. New standards imposed for rooftop solar panels to protect electricity grid

Compulsory new technical standards will apply to future sales of rooftop solar panels as the energy market regulator warns current models, while still safe for household use, will disrupt the electricity grid as sales continue to boom.

7. Renewable energy listed for first time as one of Australia’s top infrastructure priorities

Renewable energy zones and dispatchable energy storage have been listed as “high priority initiatives” by Infrastructure Australia for the first time.