SMA Announces Powerwall-Compatible Solar Inverter
Germany’s SMA has released initial details of a high-voltage battery compatible inverter for residential applications, reportedly compatible with Tesla Powerwall. ——- UPDATE – October 4. Sunny Boy Storage 2.5 is now available in Australia from Energy Matters. —— The new SMA Sunny Boy Storage offers an AC-coupled system for high-voltage batteries, meaning it can be […]
More Renewables The Answer To Tasmania’s Energy Security Woes
More wind and solar power are key to preventing Tasmania again finding itself in the position the state is in now. The Basslink interconnector between Tasmania and Victoria has been out of action since December 20 last year. It’s not expected to be operational again until mid-March; raising the spectre of electricity rationing for big […]
Queensland Solar Battery Trial Commences
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk yesterday launched an Energex trial of three battery storage systems, including a Tesla Powerwall battery configuration. “New technologies like solar battery storage will dominate the next phase of the solar energy industry, and with it a whole new opportunity for new jobs,” said Ms Palaszczuk. The Premier also inducted 22 new […]
Record Wind And Solar Power Installations In 2015
64GW of wind power and 57GW of solar PV was commissioned last year, a jump of nearly 30% over 2014 according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF). Global total investment in clean energy also set a new record in 2015 – USD $328.9bn. This was up 4% from 2014’s $315.9bn and beat the previous all-time […]
Solar Parking Lots To Provide $30 Million Saving For 25 Schools
SunEdison, Inc. (NYSE: SUNE), last week announced the signing of solar power purchase agreements (solar PPA‘s) with dozens of schools that will see solar car parking canopies constructed at each facility. The solar PPA’s involve 25 elementary, middle, and high schools in the California unified school districts of Dixon, Downey, Duarte, Livermore and Newman Crows […]
Juno Breaks Solar Powered Space Vehicle Record
In the early hours of yesterday morning Australian time, NASA’s Juno probe broke the record for humanity’s most distant solar powered spacecraft. Juno was launched aboard an Atlas V-551 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Aug. 5, 2011 and is now approximately 793 million kilometers from the sun. Attached to the craft are three 9-meter […]
Australian Solar Panel Dumping Investigation (Re)Awakens
It’s on – again. Australia’s Commissioner of the Anti-Dumping Commission has announced a previously terminated investigation into the alleged dumping of solar panels from China in Australia will resume. Dumping is said to have occurred when goods are exported to Australia at a price below the ‘normal value’ of those items; i.e. the value usually […]
Obama : Accelerate Transition From “Dirty Energy”
U.S. President Barack Obama highlighted his administration’s progress on wind and solar power in his final State of the Union address – and wants to see more of the same. In 2009, President Obama launched an economic stimulus package, with billions earmarked for renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives. Yesterday, he spoke of the results […]
USA National Solar Jobs Census 2015 Released
The U.S. solar workforce grew to a total of nearly 209,000 last year; adding more than 35,000 workers – the third consecutive year in which growth exceeded 20%. The Solar Foundation’s National Solar Jobs Census 2015 states the workforce has increased by 123% since 2010. “The solar industry has once again proven to be a […]
USA’s Solar Ready Vets Program Expands
The USA’s Solar Ready Vets is growing, with Hill Air Force Base in Utah and Fort Drum in New York commencing participation this year. The Solar Ready Vets program trains and connects US military veterans to the solar energy industry; preparing them for careers as solar power system installers, sales reps, system inspectors and other […]
