An innovative bulk-buy solar scheme is helping low-income residents in the South Australian town of Port Pirie buy solar power systems. The program was set up by the area’s local government authorities. Port Pirie Regional Council wanted a home solar installation that residents of the area could pay off over four years at no more […]
Origin Energy has paused its large-scale renewable investment strategy, citing threatened energy market interventions by the Morrison Government. As reported by the Australian Financial Review, Origin is reacting to a lack of coherent energy policy and threats to control the energy market by divesting energy assets. Origin says this makes it hard for the retailer to […]
The Australian driving public has a new electric vehicle on the market to review and test drive. Retailing at around $50,000, it’s the cheapest electric car in the country. The Korean made Hyundai IONIQ electric vehicle paves the way for a new generation of comfortable and affordable Australian EVs. According to the respected Motoring magazine, the […]
According to a new report, gas is the cause of high electricity prices in South Australia, not renewable energy. The Victoria Energy Policy Centre produced the report, titled ‘Does renewable electricity generation reduce electricity prices?’ The centre’s research found that the closure of two power stations did lead to wholesale price increases. These amounted to […]
Residents in the Western Australia port city of Fremantle will soon be able to trade solar energy using a blockchain-enabled platform. Around forty households in the WA city will take part in the peer-to-peer clean energy trading RENeW Nexus trial, which was announced in late 2017. Running until June 2019, the trial involves a fixed-use […]
The Queensland solar battery grants and loans scheme has been so successful that the state government is expanding it. The scheme, introduced in November, comprises offers of interest-free loans of up to $10,000 and grants of $3,000 to purchase solar batteries or solar-battery systems. The offer applies to 1,500 applicants, including households and small businesses. […]
A new Australian Energy Regulator (AER) report indicates that when electricity distribution networks improve productivity, electricity prices go down. The fifth ‘Annual Benchmarking Report on Electricity distribution networks service providers’ shows distributors’ productivity grew 2.7 per cent on average in 2016-17 over the previous year. An improvement in the distributors’ productivity reduces electricity costs to households […]
The second phase of the Tesla virtual power plant (VPP) in South Australia will now network a further one thousand low-income households. Solar panels and Tesla Powerwall 2 solar batteries will be installed free of charge in selected Housing SA properties. Under the scheme, 50,000 low-income houses across the state will eventually deliver 250 MW of solar […]
Utility-scale and household batteries are significantly reducing demand on the South Australian grid a new report shows. According to data released by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), Tesla’s world-leading ‘big battery’ and the SA government’s household battery rebate scheme are helping to reduce power prices in the state. The South Australian Home Battery Scheme […]
NSW needs a strong state Renewable Energy Target (RET) ahead of its March 2019 state election, according to the Clean Energy Council. In Victoria, the Andrews Labor Government pledged a state RET of 50 per cent by 2030 if it won the November election. The CEC says Andrews’ subsequent landslide victory demonstrated that voters will back a […]