SolarQuotes Blog

How to install solar panels on a metal roof – without leaks.

May 2, 2014 2019-03-12T14:29:22 by 20 Comments
rusty roof screws

This post comes courtesy of Trevor Berrill. Trevor is Principal of  Solaris Sustainable Homes and is a 30 year veteran of  both renewable energy  and energy efficiency. It is a honour to have him contribute to this humble blog. Here Trevor describes how a good solar installer should install solar panels to a metal roof and how bad installers, in a hurry […]

[Continue reading…]

Solar power innovation (part two): solar power satellites

April 28, 2014 2023-09-13T14:59:36 by 4 Comments
a solar panel in space

Last week we took the quantum leap into the inestimably small applications of solar power innovation by bringing you up to date on quantum dots and solar windows. The article was a solar squizz at how the latest developments in nano technology have brought the concept of windows as solar panels just that one tantalisingly […]

[Continue reading…]

Solar panel innovation (part one): quantum dots and solar windows

April 22, 2014 2017-10-25T10:04:32 by 3 Comments
quantum dots

Both ends of solar panel innovation are covered in this and next week’s solar rants readers. These courtesy of heads ups provided by our very own Finn Peacock and SolarQuotes reader and follower Sad Clownfish. By both ends I mean solar power from the impossibly small to the…well stratospheric. Let me explain.

[Continue reading…]

Uncertainty in Australian solar policy rears its ugly head

April 14, 2014 2017-10-25T10:04:53 by 12 Comments
depressed businessman

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, […]

[Continue reading…]

Has Finn got it hopelessly wrong on thin film solar?

April 7, 2014 2024-06-05T15:04:24 by 5 Comments
finn in Dunce's cap

The world record for thin film solar cell efficiency recently announced by First Solar (17 percent thank you very much) has got the solar movers and shakers sitting up and taking notice. Even our very own Finn Peacock was seen nodding his head sagely at the news over his solar-powered coffee last week. Long a […]

[Continue reading…]

Is Solar Leasing a Better Option than Buying Outright?

April 3, 2014 2014-10-27T09:15:38 by 10 Comments
usa and aussie flags

Are Americans are getting their butts handed to them with long-term solar leasing? And what can us Aussies do to come out ahead? It seems the suits perched in the top floor offices on Wall-Street are finally taking notice of solar energy.  And that could spell bad news for American consumers. American energy firms like SolarCity, a […]

[Continue reading…]

Will the states call the shots in solar power policy?

March 31, 2014 2017-10-25T10:05:21 by 2 Comments
the states of Australia

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 […]

[Continue reading…]

Big Clive throws weight behind 20 percent renewable energy target. Or does he?

March 24, 2014 2017-10-25T10:05:36 by 9 Comments
clive palmer

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 […]

[Continue reading…]

New research shows most power bills are more than halved with solar.

March 22, 2014 2019-03-12T14:25:55 by 15 Comments
solar infographic

Recent research by the Australian Solar Council shows that the average Aussie that has installed solar has seen an average 65% reduction in their power bills. And to pre-empt a gazillion comments – yes – this is achievable with a crappy Feed-In -Tariff too!   They have produced a great infographic which sums up most […]

[Continue reading…]

Is crowdfunding solar power the future financing model?

March 17, 2014 2017-10-25T10:05:51 by 4 Comments
a crowd in front of solar panels

  Will crowdfunding solar replace more traditional methods of funding solar energy readers? At the time of writing we appear to be headed for a clean sweep of conservative governments across Australia (with the exception of the outpost of ACT). Though it is possible that the relatively progressive Weatherill government may retain government in South […]

[Continue reading…]
Get the latest solar, battery and EV charger news straight to your inbox every Tuesday