Home: Renewable Energy News: Tuesday 18 August, 2009

Renewable Energy News

TUESDAY 18 AUGUST, 2009 |

Sharp Powers Italy's Largest Solar Farm

Sharp solar panels used for solar farm in Italy
The largest solar farm in Italy has recently been completed. The Montalto di Castro (Viterbo) project boasts 6 MW of installed solar panel capacity.

The Montalto di Castro solar farm covers an area of nearly 10 hectares and is able to generate over 7 million kWh per year, sufficient to meet the power requirements of 2,700 households.

The electricity generated at Montalto will avoid the emission of nearly 5,000 tonnes of CO2 annually.

The plant was designed and constructed by Enel.si a subsidiary of Enel Green Power. The Montalto plant joins Enel’s 3.3 MW plant in Serre Persano (Salerno). The Serre Persano solar power station was Italy’s first large-scale photovoltaic plant, brought online in 1993 and still fully operational.

Enel.si has overseen the installation of over 80 MW of solar farms for industry, utilities and households in Italy.

The modules used for the power station were primarily Sharp solar panels.

Sharp Corporation and Enel established a joint venture earlier this year to operate as an independent power producer and to develop a number of solar farms with a total capacity of 189 MW by the end of 2012. The initial phase of development will put in place a production system having an annual capacity of 480 MW, with the aim of starting operations around the middle of 2010.

Australia's Renewable Energy Target Bill Passes House Of Reps

Renewable Energy Target Legislation
After being decoupled from the Australian Government's failed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS), the Renewable Energy Target bill was passed in the House of Representatives last night.

The legislation will see 20 per cent of Australia's energy needs sourced from renewable energy within 20 years.

For Australia's solar industry, it's very good news as the legislation also covers the Solar Credits program that will provide substantial rebates for households, businesses and community groups wishing to install solar power systems, both off grid and grid connect.

Financial incentives for the installation of solar hot water systems are not covered under the Solar Credits scheme as these are serviced under other rebate arrangements.

Unlike the previous rebate; the Solar Credits scheme is not means tested; meaning that most households will be eligible for the program.

Implementation of the Solar Credits scheme was meant to be a smooth transition from previous rebates that were axed with little or no warning, but the inclusion of the program in the government's Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme saw funding stalled for nearly two months - frustrating Australian households wanting to install systems and putting many jobs in the solar industry at risk.

It's expected further amendments will be made to the bill prior to a vote in the Senate to occur on Thursday.

In an odd compromise, amendments already made to the RET allow for coal seam methane tapped for use as an energy source to also be counted in the RET, a move the Australian Greens say is a deal struck to increase the profit margins of the coal sector. However, Senator Wong says it would be included on top of the 20% target

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