Was the Victorian solar panel rebate necessary? SolarQuotes founder Finn Peacock suggests it’s had no effect on solar demand in Victoria. [Read more…]

South Australian Labor clearly hope their new Hydrogen Plan can help them win back power in the March 2022 state election.

Will their huffing of hydrogen hype lift them higher than a zeppelin, or will it bomb? [Read more…]

Long-distance transmission sends electrical energy from where it’s generated to where it’s used.  If we had more of it, electricity prices would be lower, and the integration of solar and wind farms would be easier.  Thanks to record low-interest rates, more of it is exactly what we’re going to get.   [Read more…]

Yesterday at the National Press Club, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the following:

“Our goal is to reach net-zero emissions as soon as possible, and preferably by 2050.”

My response was, “Thank god for that.” Twenty-nine years to get our emissions down to zero is a lot more time than we should be spending, but it looked as though our PM had come a long way from the days he pranced around Parliament, lovingly cradling a lump of coal.

[Read more…]

The year 2020 was wonderful except for one little thing, and it’s hard to get littler than a virus.  Thank god Australia got off lightly compared to most.  [Read more…]

The 21st century has brought radical change to South Australian electricity generation.  Eighteen years ago SA had the least renewable energy in the country thanks to hydroelectricity being a tough sell in a location as dry as a Sao biscuit and twice as flat.  [Read more…]

Dan Andrews, the Premier of Victoria, has been a busy man.  For four long months, Melbourne was locked in a desperate, life or death struggle with the coronavirus and only recently emerged victorious.  It’s well past time he stopped to pat himself on the back and take a well-earned rest, as he has clearly been doing everything by himself.  This was made apparent by a tweet he sent out yesterday showing he doesn’t understand how his own state’s Solar Homes Program works. [Read more…]

This article would have a lot more detail if I could have actually spoken to someone in the ACT government about it. It wasn’t for lack of trying. I called them 4 times, was on hold for 53 minutes, to no avail.

Do you have a Pensioner Concession Card?

Do you own a home in the ACT?

Does the roof of that home lack solar panels? [Read more…]

If there is one thing I hate, it’s dodgy solar installers who mislead the public with deceptive advertising and fake deals.  It harms customers who are just looking for decent quality solar and it hurts honest installers by damaging the reputation of the entire industry.  It really gets my goat, and I am extremely protective of my goat. 

But when a state government engages in misleading ads it’s fine and I don’t mind at all.  [Read more…]

State energy ministers can rightly claim that they have acted well in advance of the Federal Government. But there remain worrying divisions between the states that could turn into faultlines. [Read more…]