The future looks bright for Victoria’s solar industry after Premier John Brumby indicated that four solar power plants capable of powering 200,000 homes could be built in the state over the next ten years. He also flagged an increase of solar energy share in Victoria’s mandatory renewable energy target, possibly 2.5 percent of the total […]

Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett has signaled a rethink of the solar panel rebate means test in response to industry claims of declining sales, but one of Australia’s leading renewable energy companies says if the government is serious about supporting the solar market it should forget the rebate and instead introduce energy feed-in tariffs. Mr […]

Clean coal has become a hot topic lately, touted by the politicians and industry heads as a handy solution to the ever-increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions which are causing so much damage to our planet through global warming. Studies from around the world have concluded it is essential to cut carbon emissions significantly through renewable […]

The Federal Opposition seems determined to force the Rudd Government to overturn its solar panel rebate means test, citing crippling effects to sales of rooftop solar systems around the country. Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson said the Coalition would introduce a private member’s Bill later this month calling for the means test to be axed. He […]

An Australian solar firm based in the US has claimed to one day solve the nation’s energy crisis by utilising solar hot water technology. They say that by 2025 solar thermal power plants could generate enough electricity to meet almost all of America’s energy needs. The Ausra Incorporated solar thermal plant, located in the Nevada […]

A senior NSW lecturer has accused the Rudd Government of a bias against renewable energy systems like solar power in favour of supporting the coal industry. Dr Mark Diesendorf from the University of NSW’s (UNSW) Institute of Environmental Studies says that funds set up to support both industries suffer from serious imbalance towards the much […]

Apple has lodged a patent for revolutionary new solar technology that could soon see iPods, iPhones and some laptops powered by the sun. The design involves inserting razor-fine silicon solar PV cells inside the device’s LCD screen and converting the light captured into electricity to charge the batteries. Although the surface area of these screens […]

Physicist Bram Hoex and colleagues at Eindhoven University of Technology, together with the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany, have developed a process that improves the energy produced by solar panels by six per cent (in relative terms), a new world record in solar cell efficiency. By using an ultra-thin aluminium oxide layer at the front of […]

What is a feed-in tariff? Why does Australia need one to support our renewable energy industry? May 2008 Australia is now committed to a renewable energy target of 20% by 2020. Currently only a miniscule part of Australia’s energy comes from renewable sources. The Government must deliver a huge increase in Australia’s renewable energy if […]

An international proponent of the world renewable energy industry says that Australia has vast opportunities for growth in the renewable sector, despite spending cuts to climate initiatives in the Federal Budget. Hans-Josef Fell said it was vital that governments put in place laws providing a positive framework for growth in renewable technologies, such as solar, […]