Presented by Energy Matters team member Virginia, we take a look at some of the stories from Australia and around the world recently added to our renewable energy news section.
In this episode, Virginia covers a new report showing renewable energy’s minor role in electricity prices, REC solar panels a top performer in independent testing, Suntech stocks power on and Japan’s nuclear emergency casting a cloud over Australia’s nuclear aspirations.
In this episode:
– A new report from independent energy market analysts, ROAM Consulting has found that renewable energy schemes only add between 4 to 7 per cent to electricity bills. The report also concluded that even in the most aggressive scenarios, the combined renewable schemes are likely to contribute less than ten per cent to retail electricity tariffs. Investment in upgrading aging electrical infrastructure is the biggest single driver of Australian power price hikes. Improvement to the grid requires an investment of 42 billion dollars across Australia over the next five years. Read more.
– Chinese solar panel manufacturer Suntech Power Holdings announced total net revenues of almost a billion dollars in the fourth quarter of 2010. The 62 percent increase on 2009’s figures adds to the evidence that the global solar power industry is growing rapidly. Last year Suntech became the first solar manufacturer to supply Europe with over 100 megawatts of solar energy. Read more.
– Solar trade magazine Photon has conducted a test to measure the electricity output of a solar panel over 12 months in real-world conditions. Photon’s tests showed REC Peak Energy solar panels produced six percent more power on average than dozens of other products. The modules were ranked best in the test for five out of twelve months and second after a full year of testing. REC solar panels are becoming a common sight on rooftops around Australia after national solar solutions provider Energy Matters introduced them to the Australian market last year. Read more.
– Nuclear energy has been rising in popularity as power generation becomes an issue in a carbon constrained world. However, the immense tragedy of the Japanese earthquakes has been further compounded by an emergency at two nuclear reactors at Fukushima power plant north of Tokyo. Part of a nuclear reactor at the Fukushima Number 1 atomic plant has already exploded with another reactor suspected to have suffered a partial meltdown. Read more.
More details on these stories and many more can be viewed in our renewable energy news section. For previous episodes, visit the Energy Matters Video News archive. For news on the run, don’t forget to check out our new mobile news service!
