New Zealand “Solar Tax” Battle Rages On
The argy-bargy over a so-called “solar tax” in New Zealand has continued, this time on a different front – over the use of the word “tax” in campaigning against it. It all started when an NZ electricity distributor decided to start charging solar households an extra fee. That fee was challenged but then upheld by […]
Australian Farmers Back A Move To 100% Renewable Electricity
A recent survey indicates strong support from Australian farmers for the nation moving to 100% renewable energy sourced electricity, and significant uptake of solar and battery storage in Australia’s agricultural sector. The first-ever national Farmer Climate Survey saw input from 1,300 primary producers from across the nation; representing all sectors of primary production. It indicated […]
Solar And Swarm Electrification Empowering Bangladesh
The success of micro-solar power in Bangladesh is being enhanced with “swarm electrification”, a peer-to-peer solar energy trading concept based on nano-grids. In 2014, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced a plan to provide 3 million more rural families with small solar power systems and battery storage over the next three years. ME SOLshare Ltd. […]
2017 – Rise Of The Solar & Battery Powered Smart Home
Australian solar households wanting to further boost their energy efficiency and independence may increasingly embrace the “smart home” concept next year and investigate home automation options. This year saw the rapid uptake of smart inverters and battery storage that enable monitoring of solar power systems from anywhere an internet connection is available. Batteries and inverters […]
Electric Motorcycle Battery’s 2nd Life As Solar Energy Storage
This rather unique looking electric motorcycle’s battery pack is designed to have a second life as energy storage for a solar power system. The Johammer J1 electric motorcycle, developed and manufactured in Austria, has a range of 200 km and a top speed (electronically limited) of 120 kilometres per hour. The Johammer’s powertrain consists of […]
Round 2 Of Victoria’s New Energy Jobs Fund Begins
The second round of Victoria’s $20 million New Energy Jobs Fund (NEJF) grants opened on Tuesday. This round will make $6 million in grants of between $20,000 and $1 million, with the NEJF open to communities, industry and businesses. “We’re putting people first by creating jobs, attracting investment and making our energy supplies cleaner,” said […]
The World’s Safest Nuclear Power Station
A former nuclear power plant in Austria is tapping another form of nuclear energy from a reactor situated a very safe 149.6 million kilometres away – the sun. Construction of the nuclear facility at Zwentendorf an der Donau commenced in April 1972. However, six years later the then-completed plant was mothballed after a referendum; when 50.5% of […]
QLD Government Rules Out Early Solar Bonus Scheme Closure
Queensland’s legacy solar feed-in tariff program, the Solar Bonus Scheme (not to be confused with the NSW scheme of the same name), will not be prematurely axed. Early adopters of solar power systems who applied for the Queensland Solar Bonus Scheme before 10 July 2012 and maintain their eligibility receive a feed-in tariff rate of […]
Australian Coal Power Transition Report Tabled
An Australian Senate inquiry into the retiring of coal-fired power stations tabled its interim report and recommendations in Parliament on Monday night. Authored by the Environment and Communications References Committee, the report advises Australia should transition from coal-generated electricity in an orderly fashion – and soon. Calling it a “wake-up call for the government,” Committee […]
ACT Wins Best Renewable Energy Target Award
With a renewable energy target of 100% by 2020, it won’t come as a surprise Canberra just scored a major award for its efforts. The Carbon Disclosure Project’s (CDP) “Best Renewable Target For An Australian City” award went to Canberra, which was accepted by the ACT’s Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability yesterday. CDP is […]