Australian Push For Fully Solar Schools

 

Adam Rorris from the the Centre for Policy Development has urged the NSW Government to consider investing approximately $40 million a year over three years to convert its public primary schools to 100% solar power.
   
While the National Solar Schools Program offers a $50,000 grant to schools for solar panel based systems,  the average primary school of 300 students would need about $120,000 to make a full conversion to solar power according to Mr. Rorris, who also pointed out that savings from such an initiative will grow significantly over time as the real cost of electricity rises.
   
Schools provide an excellent platform for the installation of solar farms given their ample roof space. Grid connect systems can be easily integrated into a school's existing electricity infrastructure and can also generate revenue through feed in tariffs.
   
The addition of a solar power system to a school provides an excellent hands-on education opportunity for students on the topic of renewable energy and sends a strong single to the wide school community about environmental stewardship.
   
The current solar schools grant initiative has been very successful, with 4966 schools around Australia already registered for the NSSP. However, in NSW, not a single public school has been fitted with solar panels under the program, because the State Government has insisted on a centralised tendering process. In other states, schools can choose their own provider providing eligibility criteria is met.
 
Under the National Solar Schools Program, nearly every school in Australia is eligible for a solar power system - at no cost to the school whatsoever. The grant for the installation of grid connected solar power is doubled in the case of dual campuses, reaching up to $100,000 and further funding may also be available at a state level.

Solar Panel Industry Outlook

 

According to a report from Navigant Consulting, 2004 through 2008 saw the photovoltaic experiencing demand increasing by a compound annual 51% for the four-year period, and industry growth at 79% in 2008 over 2007.

The driving force behind the growth was Europe’s feed-in tariff (FiT) model. Demand in Spain, at 42% of the total market, was the major player in EU industry growth. The 2004 to 2008 period also saw a silicon shortage that contributed to higher prices and sparked accelerated development in thin film solar panel technologies.

Large field grid connected applications in Europe created the largest global market for solar systems at 79%.

However, in September 2008, the government of Spain instituted a cap on its FiT program, seriously impacting solar panel sales. From 1973 through 2008, demand in the PV industry grew at a compound annual rate of 40%, but in 2009, a significant slowdown in sales of solar panels and systems in combination with an oversupply of equipment has put downward pressure on pricing for solar power system components; to the benefit of the consumer.

The good news for the industry is solar panel inventory levels may ease towards the end of 2009 and the market will see the beginning of recovery  says Navigant Consulting.

Grid connected solar power systems were and are the largest and fastest growing of all of the photovoltaic market segments, with an 80% share of global volume in 2004, an 82% share in 2005, an 86% share of total volume in 2006, and a 94% share of total volume in 2008. The fastest growing sub-segment of this application is the commercial application, primarily investor owned (>1-MWp) solar farms.

Grid connected systems have experienced extremely strong compound annual growth of 63% from 1998-2003 and 60% from 2003 to 2008. While industry demand may still be soft for the 2009 and possibly 2010 period, Navigant says the the compound annual growth rate for the forecast period is estimated at 18% to 33%.

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