Unsubsidised solar cheaper than fossil fuels in Chile

December 29, 2014 2017-10-25T09:44:48 by 10 Comments
chilean flag

Unsubsidised solar is cheaper than coal in Chile. Australia here we come!

One of the key questions that remains in what has been a forgettable year for Australian renewable energy policy development is: when will unsubsidised solar reach cost parity with fossil fuels? Will it be in 2015 or 2016 that this occurs? Or should we look further into the future? The question is of course crucial as reaching this point in time will sweep away any criticism from the fossil fuel argument that coal, oil is cheaper to produce than renewable energy such as solar power.

If you listen to fossil fuel lobbyists you’ll get the impressions that cost parity is decades away, however the truth is that it is already here in some parts of the world. [Read more…]

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Can the world produce enough raw materials to feed the solar panel boom?

November 24, 2014 2021-02-10T13:13:02 by 5 Comments
solar panel factory

Can the word produce solar panel materials fast enough to keep up with demand?

It’s now almost a given that solar energy is the answer for the world’s energy problems. As experts have noted, it is entirely conceivable (perhaps inevitable) that solar will be the world’s first choice for energy by mid-century. With regular improvements in PV technology driving cost and efficiency breakthroughs, the predictions of the amount of total energy solar will make up is constantly being revised upwards.

Even those countries with a somewhat less than supportive legislative framework for renewables (any guesses?) are seeing solar growth cycles. As discussed last week, in these cases its a matter of the politicians lagging well behind the people on this vital issue of our times.

[Read more…]

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Solar will be the world’s most popular power source by 2050

November 10, 2014 2018-03-19T13:43:44 by 13 Comments
big red hand pointing down

Down, down, solar panel prices are going down!

When someone of the stature of Martin Green says the cost of solar PV technology will halve again by the next decade, you sit up and take notice. Even more so when he says solar will be the world’s most popular energy source by 2050.

For the University of New South Wales’ Prof. Martin Green is considered one of the world’s leading PV researchers. His department’s technological breakthroughs in silicon cell efficiency have not only given us the solar panels we know today but also put Australian PV research at the centre of world PV technology.

“The costs of solar will halve again by 2025 is my prediction,” he told a conference in Sydney on Wednesday. “We are at 60 cents per watt manufacturing now but we will get down to 30 cents per watt some time before 2025.”

[Read more…]

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Is coal now more expensive than solar?

November 4, 2014 2017-10-25T09:46:50 by 1 Comment
pile of coal

The declining cost of solar is making Aussie coal exports look increasingly expensive.

Not-so-strange bedfellows Greg “Smiley” Hunt and Big Clive emerged hand in hand after negotiating the “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” (sorry “Direct Action”) legislation earlier this week. Meanwhile a less publicised news article revealed the dirty truth behind the future, or otherwise, of fossil fuel exports to one of our major markets.

That truth is that it is now more expensive for India to import Aussie coal than produce their own solar power. [Read more…]

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Poor Nations Beating Rich Nations in Alternative Energy Race

October 30, 2014 2018-05-09T11:07:39 by Leave a Comment

A recent study of 55 nations, found that wealthy, developed countries have developed an 84% growth rate in using renewable energy sources from 2008 to 2013. Sounds good, right? On paper it sounds nice. Until you see that much poorer nations have experienced a 143% growth in the same time period!

Why is it that poorer nations are moving faster toward greener energy? Well, it’s economics. While the nations themselves are poor, investing in renewable energy is providing much cheaper power than their fossil fuel counterparts. Meanwhile, wealthier nations can afford to keep using fossil fuels, so there is less motivation to use more renewable sources. With that said, it shouldn’t be long before other energy sources are depleted and wealthier nations move forward as their poorer counterparts have done.

Read the full article about this study here:: Poor Nations Go for Solar, Wind at Twice the Pace of Rich Ones

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Forget “real 20 percent”, what are the real benefits of going solar?

October 28, 2014 2017-10-25T09:47:11 by 2 Comments

 

God forbid that pesky wind and solar breaches 20% !

God forbid that pesky wind and solar breaches 20% !

The dust continues to swirl on one of the most divisive energy issues in recent years — the government’s attempted slashing of the RET to the so-called “real 20 percent”. We’ll discuss this but really, is this the debate we should be having in this day and age? We’re going to focus on the bigger picture, the debate we should be having: the one on the real benefits of going solar.

This week saw a political sleight-of-hand that we’ve come to expect from the seat polishers in Canberra. Under the guise of “adjusting” the Rudd government’s 20 percent of renewables by 2020, the government has put together a policy that will divide the nation. The so-called “real 20 percent” effectively slashes the RET for large-scale developers by one-third. For sure it will have “real” problems for many solar providers, with many seeing it as an underhand attempt to push through legislation that will cripple the renewable energy industry. [Read more…]

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Why Big Utilities Are Scrambling Towards Solar

October 25, 2014 2018-05-09T11:01:34 by Leave a Comment

Now that solar power has become more of a threat, big US utility companies responsible for providing electricity want to buy in. With the cultural push to become more reliant on renewable energy sources and the increase in people wanting to break free from their higher utility bills, many utility companies are opting to become more solar friendly in order to keep their business.

While overall this might be a good thing, the intentions are purely economic. Big utilities in the USA are in the discussions with local governments in order to build or install solar panels into their networks. Some states have been open to this idea but others have resisted since it appears to only kill off the only competition electric companies have.

To learn more about this development, click here.

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Why Labor Need To Hold Firm On The RET

October 24, 2014 2018-05-09T11:00:57 by Leave a Comment

The government’s starting RET offer which reduces the legislated, previously bipartisan, and pre-election commitment of 41,000 gigawatt hours per year of renewable energy down to 27,000 has been turned down by the Labor Party. Why? Not just because of the environment, but because of economics.

By cutting the target almost in half, billions of dollars invested in the creation of solar and wind power generating devices will go to waste, and billions of dollars of investment will not happen. The 100 job losses at a wind turbine component manufacturer in Portland, Vic announced yesterday is just the beginning.  Not to mention that power prices would continue to climb due to expensive fossil fuels picking up the slack.

Abbott and his cronies are trying to destroy a policy they promised not to touch.  Then when Labor won’t co-operate they blame the opposition for the uncertainty that is destroying businesses. Read more about this story here.

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Nine in ten look to solar to beat rising electricity bills: report

October 22, 2014 2017-10-25T09:47:30 by 6 Comments
rising bills

Rising electricity costs are driving more people to consider solar.

An Ernst and Young utilities survey report released this week has highlighted the battle ordinary Australians are having with their rising electricity bills. The study also found over 90 percent of those surveyed would like to switch to solar power. [Read more…]

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Focus on solar microgrids as fossil fuel wavers

October 13, 2014 2017-10-25T09:59:27 by 3 Comments
microgrid with solar and PV

Taking whole streets (or villages) off the grid is likely to become more common.

What role will community-based solar microgrids play as Aussies look for environmental and affordable energy alternatives?

First, I should explain what a microgrid actually is. It is simply a cluster of buildings, all connected together electrically, but not connected to the wider electric grid. An example would be taking your whole street off the grid instead of simply your own home. If you do this, you can share solar generation and battery storage among other things. As feed in tariffs get lower, this becomes more attractive. Wouldn’t you rather your sell excess solar energy to your neighbour for a fair price than be forced to sell it to someone like Energex for a miserly 6c per kWh?

According to analysts Frost and Sullivan’s report “Analysis of the Asia-Pacific Microgrid Market” the microgrid electrification (including solar programs) is expected to reach a sales figure of $813 million by 2020, growing at an expected astonishing rise of 38.3 percent over that of 2013. Countries surveyed by Frost and Sullivan include Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines and (yes!) Australia. [Read more…]

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