Fear of axe over renewables sharpens solar stampede

Anger over bid for solar sunset.

7 September, 2014

Lord Howe Island tilts at renewable energy independence

Solar, wind and storage set to slash big diesel bills.

29 July, 2014

Canberra to build solar hub to boost renewable energy

The nation’s capital is planning to build a new “innovation precinct” to attract research and development into solar power with the goal of making Canberra a “leading city” in renewable energy.

6 March, 2014

City of Sydney demands Trigeneration rules be relaxed

By Julian Bajkowski The City of Sydney is again ramping up its promotion of trigeneration as a viable alternative means of producing energy in the heart of the city. Having parked a wider electricity overhaul critics claimed would cost up to $5 billion, the CBD council is now pushing the New South Wales Parliament to […]

22 October, 2013

WA forced to reverse solar feed-in tariff cuts

By Paul Hemsley Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett has been forced into an embarrassing backflip over retrospective cuts to the state’s solar feed-in tariff after a severe electoral backlash took the state government by surprise. The Barnett government had planned to slash the solar feed-in tariff by 20 cents by July 2014 as part of […]

15 August, 2013

Mildura’s showcase solar plant fires up

By Paul Hemsley The Victorian Government has officially opened the Mildura solar power plant, which is expected to send electricity to 500 homes and with further investment from the state government could power more than 35,000 dwellings. The Mildura solar power plant has been in the planning and building stages since 2010 when it was […]

18 July, 2013

SA solar inquiry heats up

By Paul Hemsley South Australian Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Tom Koustantonis has announced a parliamentary inquiry into the use of solar thermal energy to replace coal used for electricity generation the government amid fears that supplies of the fossil fuel from the Leigh Creek mine will cease to be viable. The probe into solar […]

19 October, 2012

Australia’s largest solar plant opens

By Paul Hemsley The Western Australian government has opened Australia’s largest operating solar power station to date 50km south-east of the coastal town of Geraldton. Known as the Greenough River Solar Farm, the $50 million project is designed to generate 10 megawatts (MW) of electricity through 150,000 photovoltaic panels spread across 50 hectares. The official […]

11 October, 2012

Silex funded for next stage of world’s largest solar plant

By Paul Hemsley Sun rays will fire-up 35,000 households around Mildura after the Victorian government’s approved a $10 million grant to Silex Systems to complete the world’s biggest solar plant. The money will fund Silex subsidiary Solar Systems, which originally proposed the project in 2010, the second stage of its Large-Scale Solar Power Generation Demonstration […]

9 October, 2012

Solar expands at Lake Macquarie

Lake Macquarie City Council has converted its seventh major building to solar power. The council has installed solar facilities on Charlestown Library, following other council buildings including the art gallery, works depot and the State Emergency Service office. Lake Macquarie City Council acting manager sustainability, Symon Walpole said solar power systems capable of generating 95 […]

23 July, 2012

WA farms for solar power

Utilities will use renewable energy generated from a solar panel installation at Greenough River Solar Farm through a public and private joint venture. The Western Australian Water Corporation will purchase 100 per cent of the sustainable energy generated by the 10-megawatt farm to offset the requirements of the Southern Seawater Desalination Plant near Binningup. As […]

17 April, 2012

Solar power gets Victorian edge

Development of a RayGen solar power system will receive $1 million in funding from the Victorian Government. In addition to the $41 million in funding for the Energy Technology Innovation Strategy (ETIS) in the 2011-12 Victorian budget, funding will go to the first stage of the development, involving fine-tuning design components and optimizing cost, performance […]

30 March, 2012

Sunny future for Perth Zoo

Perth Zoo has become the city’s largest solar site, with more than 300 solar panels installed across eight buildings and animal enclosures. The 90.9kW solar installation is part of the State Government's Perth Solar City program and the Federal Government’s $94 million Solar City initiative. The program was managed by Western Power and the solar panels were installed […]

8 March, 2011

NSW solar bonus scheme under review

By Lilia Guan   The New South Wales Government's Solar Bonus Scheme has hit 50 megawatts and a review, looking at a number of issues, is now underway.   Minister for Energy Paul Lynch told Government News, the Solar Bonus Scheme has been successful.   Changes to the scheme were first introduced by the State […]

8 October, 2010