The Poms have come from behind to give us a thrashing.
We Aussies hate to be trumped by another nation in any field of endeavour. Whether on the sporting field, in battle or in the latest scientific innovation, we like to think we always “punch above our weight”.
Imagine our horror then, when we learned of being completely spanked by the land of grey skies and shitty weather in an area we should call our very own: solar PV installations. [Read more…]
87% of electricity price rises are nothing to do with renewables. But we still get the blame. Funny that.
Energy poverty in Australia is defined as when more than 10 percent of your household disposable income is spent on energy. It’s a newish problem in our country but one, due to rapidly escalating electricity prices, that we will unfortunately hear a great deal more about in coming years. With the skyrocketing electricity prices that have kicked in around the country, the question (from the point of view of the big energy companies and their politician friends) is not so much “Have we got a massive problem with energy poverty in this country?” as “Who the f!@# can we blame?” [Read more…]
CEO of First Solar reacts to Abbott’s latest speech on energy policy
One recurring, if unfortunate, theme of these pages has been the constant spectre of uncertainty in Australian solar policy. We’ve ranted before about why Australia should be led by more forward thinking pollies in both Canberra and the state capitals but bugger it, when you’re onto a good thing, why not continue?
So here goes, Rant #234 about the paucity of Australian solar policy leadership… [Read more…]
The sweep of Coalition victories throughout the land has been abated with the narrow victory of the incumbent Weatherill government in South Australia but what does this mean for solar power policy?
As the always perceptive Giles Parkinson points out in his regular column for RenewEconomy, there is now some push back from state politicians over solar energy policy throughout the country. This (perhaps) as they understand (a) that the rest of the world is already moving towards a renewable future and (b) most importantly, ordinary Aussies have voted with their rooftops for a solar power policy.
“.. the return of the Jay Weatherill Labor government in Adelaide, the election of Will Hodgman in Tasmania, and the ambition of the ACT Labor government means that there are some counters to the apparently ideologically driven opposition to renewables in the federal government,” said Mr Parkinson. [Read more…]
Thumbs up for Solar? Or not?
Well the big solar news this week was provided by a Big Man. Big Clive to be precise. Yes finally the message of sustainability, affordability and keeping the environment for future generations was played out through the mainstream media. More precisely through Big Clive Palmer’s endorsement of his W.A. Senate PUP candidate’s ringing praise for the 20 percent renewable energy target.
Splattered all over the front pages and on our national broadcaster was the man famous for bloody big holes in the ground, Titanics, grandiose press conferences, collecting mining leases and pouring billions into the formation of his very own lobby group…er political party. [Read more…]
ACT does it again!
So you think Canberra is just a source of hot air when it comes to renewable energy initiatives? Believe far reaching projects like viable community solar power just a dream in the nation’s capital? Do you expect little, or nothing, with Greg “The Human Backflip” Hunt in charge of proceedings?
Think again readers for Canberra has just announced a truly progressive ACT Feed In Tariff policy that will allow more residents access to community solar power, even those without solar panels. [Read more…]
Oooh La La! What has a French actress got to do with solar panel manufacturing? Read on…
Here at the SQHQ we try to cover solar policy as often as we can in these pages. Let’s face it there’s nothing more enjoyable than covering the sorry policy efforts offered by the chair polishers in state and federal seats of power. With some exceptions (heads up ACT), policy that takes into account the advantages of solar energy in Australia might as well be made by a bunch of backward-looking, chest-thumping, narky neo trogs …. (or am I being too harsh here?). [Read more…]
T
he need to save the world from environmental degradation and climate change appears to have sunk in to the halls of power in the United States. Renewable energy sources such as solar power are now not just “flavour of the month” but perhaps “flavour of the year/decade”. Well, in some parts of the land of the free and brave anyway.
While the sheer financial and political clout exercised by fossil fuel advocates such as the infamous Koch Brothers cannot be discounted, there are influential progressive, pro-renewable energy elements hard at work. They are, it seems, swinging the nation’s attention back to the benefits of renewable energy sources such as solar power. [Read more…]
Solar installation growth in the US is picking up. In Australia it is slowing. Is Australia destined to always play catch up with our more powerful friends?
A US-centred news article that made your correspondent sit up and take notice this week in the SQHQ bunker came via the excellent RenewableEnergyWorld. The piece summarised a recent report from by GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) in the US, that reported massive growth in solar energy in the country.
The study found 930 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaics (PV) installed in Q3 2013, which was an increase of 20 percent over Q2 2013 and a huge 35 percent over Q3 2012.
The report discussed the takeup of photovoltaics increasing to an extent that puts the US ahead of Germany in PV rankings for the first time. According to the article, the United States has now assumed world leadership in photovoltaics along with China, Japan and Germany. [Read more…]
Is John Howard a CEFC fan?
Just when you thought the gathering of the dark clouds of the new government’s blitzkrieg against renewable energy initiatives was complete, a tiny ray of sunshine bursts through the gathering gloom. Or has it? I speak this week of the uncertainty over the dumping of the showcase Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC).
The ray of sunshine, if it is such, comes in the unlikely form of Arthur “Svengali” Sinodinos, who many will remember as being one of the inner cabal that served John “carbon tax” Howard, noted PM and Australia’s worst off spinner.
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