Will the sun set on Solar Dawn?
Well that didn’t take long did it folks? No sooner had Campbell “Can-Do?” Newman adjusted the height of the premier’s chair following his landslide win in the Sunshine state, than the plug was pulled on one of Queensland’s flagship solar projects. In moves that have become familiar to solar supporters around the nation, solar (and other worthy renewable projects) are usually first to go as new governments look to impress their new electorates.
Two of the key issues covered this week at the Solar 2011 conference have been (1) the growing affordability of solar systems for both domestic and commercial outlooks as prices plummet, and (2) the growth of international large-scale solar projects. The first has been made possible by the growth of the Chinese solar energy sector and has made cheap solar panels available to Australian households and businesses.
However are we likely to see massive scale projects backed by the federal government in this country? Well yes if the event organisers have their way. [Read more…]
Unless you’ve taken up residence under a rock somewhere in one of our sun-bleached deserts, you’ll be aware that the House of Representatives successfully passed the government’s controversial carbon legislation earlier this week. The minority Gillard government punted the bills through the Lower House with the support of the Independents to the delight of renewable energy fans and the disgust of the Opposition Leader Alan Jones Tony Abbott. [Read more…]
The federal government has been accused of dragging its feet on solar energy (and renewable energy in general) in comparison to more dynamic regions such as North Asia, Europe and the United States. Innovative and well-targeted government support in these countries has seen the increased takeup of solar power and a boom in their respective solar industries.
However, one feels our overworked and underpaid elected reps (bless ‘em) would be up in arms at the suggestion of neglect of solar initiatives and would point to the key area of the federal Solar Flagships program as proof of this. [Read more…]
Last week we examined the point of view of academic Mark Diesendorf who stated that the much villified carbon tax will probably be insufficient to encourage renewable energy investment in Australia. This week we look at the opposing view and find that overseas renewable energy companies are indeed putting their hands in their pockets to fund renewable energy schemes in Australia, particularly those looking at exploiting our abundant sun.
These companies are looking at taking advantage of the positive renewable funding climate in our country, support which is expected to be funded through revenue supplied by the contentious carbon tax. [Read more…]
The debate over whether or not a carbon tax will be effective has split families, pitched neighbour against neighbour, divided loyalties and torn our nation asunder.
Well not exactly, but a real blockbusting start to this week’s column you have to admit!
On a serious note, the question many SolarQuotes readers would like answered about the carbon tax goes something like the following. Will the carbon tax (assuming the legislation is passed) bring any benefit to the solar power industry in Australia? [Read more…]
By Rich Bowden
Two points of interest for SolarQuotes readers raised by the federal government this week over the future of energy in this country, one by the embattled PM and the other by her Climate Change Minister (and some would say a possible successor) Greg Combet.
It was the PM who got the solar ball rolling this week when she visited a blustery Gunning, ACT wind farm (minus the ubiquitous hard hat for once) to open the venture, an enterprise financially backed by Spanish sustainable energy company ACCIONA. [Read more…]
This week’s big ticket news item for the solar industry and its consumers was the fillip given to the sector by the federal government’s long-awaited carbon tax announcement.
While there is some debate over whether or not the carbon price announced last weekend will go far enough to achieve its primary purpose (i.e. significantly decrease the level of carbon emissions in Australia) there appears to be little doubt that the renewable energy incentives attached to the legislation will go a long way towards rejuvenating the renewables sector, particularly solar energy.
“Solar on steroids” was how John Grimes, chief executive of the AustralianSolarEnergySociety (AuSES) described the Clean Energy Future announcement, adding that the solar industry was the real winner to emerge from the package. He focused on the earmarking of $10 billion, half of which will be made available for the renewable sector from a new investment bank, hailing it as a major step forward. [Read more…]
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