deX – the distributed electricity grid that lets you trade power with neighbours
A new, decentralised energy exchange (deX) allows households and businesses with solar assets to trade electricity with each other. deX offers a fundamental change in the way “distributed energy” is shared, stored, used and traded in Australia. A white paper on the topic by global energy technology company GreenSync, which created deX, shows how the […]
Carlton & United Breweries to buy electricity from Victorian solar farm
Australia’s largest brewery has signed a contract with a German-owned Victorian solar farm with the aim of becoming energy self-sufficient through using solar power. Because Carlton & United Breweries (CUB) want to use 100 per cent renewable energy, they have signed a 12-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with BayWa r.e. The German renewable energy developer, […]
Vic govt and ARENA jointly fund energy storage battery at Victorian solar farm
ARENA and the Victorian state government have announced joint funding of two large-scale energy storage battery projects in country Victoria. This includes integration of a Tesla Powerpack into an existing solar farm at Gannawarra near Kerang. The Gannawarra Solar Farm was Victoria’s first large-scale renewable energy project of its kind. The 60 MW plant has […]
NSW feed-in tariffs cut threat: Greens protest proposal to cut solar power payment
The NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) is considering a cut to the benchmark price for NSW feed-in tariffs, most which come from solar power. The current NSW feed-in tariff sits around 11 cents per kilowatt hour. From July 1 this year it could be reduced to 8-9 c/kWh. IPART says it is taking the […]
Renters can reap the benefits of solar power too – here’s how
Solar power for renters? There’s a lot of talk about Australian home prices, along with prices for house solar panels and batteries. But what about the people who rent a house or apartment? Is it worth looking into solar panels when you don’t own a property to put them on? The answer is yes. New […]
Battery storage grid link more reliable as coal-fired generators fade out: AEMC
Increasing amounts of renewable energy are challenging Australia’s national grid as coal-fired generators fade out. But battery storage grid integration could provide the needed stability. A report by the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) released today explores the instability caused by adding solar energy and wind power to the nation’s generator mix. The grid requires a […]
Queensland schools solar energy systems to save more than $10 million annually in bills
A state government clean energy program means Queensland schools solar energy systems could save more than $10 million a year in power bills. $97 million will be spent over the next three years to help schools across the state cut their combined energy bill by around 20 per cent. According to Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, state […]
National Energy Guarantee (NEG) must adopt new solar technology: Engineers Australia
Engineering new solar technology will be crucial for Australia’s transition to renewable energy sources. That’s the warning from Engineers Australia in its submission to the National Energy Guarantee (NEG) consultation. The stakeholder consultation, which closed March 8, was conducted by the Energy Security Board (ESB). The board was established by the Federal Government last year […]
Electric raindrops? New solar cell design harvests energy from rain
Critics of solar energy like to point out a fundamental flaw in photovoltaic technology: it doesn’t work in the rain. But now a team of Chinese researchers have created a solar cell that harvests energy from raindrops. The hybrid device works by collecting spare electrons from falling droplets of water so it derives solar energy […]
CEFC and Mirvac help buyers slash power bills with solar included homes
A new solar energy program will help Mirvac home buyers save up to 90 per cent of their power bills using built-in solar and battery storage in solar included homes. Solar panel and battery storage systems are part of a range of power-saving applications featured in the joint Mirvac-Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) venture. In […]
