The price of household battery storage is defying hopes and expectations of significant price falls, with two of the leading manufacturers – Tesla and Enphase – quietly lifting their prices in recent months.
States quickly agree on approval for more work to be done on National Energy Guarantee. But concerns remain about the emissions target, and new analysis that suggests the electricity sector is being asked to address just 5 per cent of required reductions.
“Even if the Energy Security Board gives Malcolm Turnbull a Rolls Royce model of energy policy, it’s not going to be of much use to the country if he immediately seeks to put it in the garage and lock it up for 10 years.”
Alan Jones says Craig Kelly should be energy minister. In effect, he already is, because the Coalition’s woeful policy is a craven attempt to pacify the right wing. Despite the NEG, or maybe because of it, a bipartisan approach to energy and climate is as elusive as ever.
Energy Security Board has finally got smart about reliability, and dumped plans promised to conservatives that would try and turn wind and solar plants into “base-load” generators. This is a huge development, and a victory for smart economics, and engineering.
Industry experts back campaign opposing NEG, say it will skew the market further in favour of incumbents, stymie renewables, and favour coal.
Smart Energy Council promises “ruthless campaign” to fight Malcolm Turnbull’s NEG, which he says is “a lesson in how to do over the renewables industry while having acolytes fawn over the process.”
Our analysis of the new renewable energy projects to come on line in next few years suggest a fall in electricity prices – at least until the closure of Liddell.
SA Water plans to install 152MW solar PV and 35MWh of storage by 2020 to slash its electricity bill, previously forecast to reach $55 million, to zero.
Polling shows 80% of voters support efficiency standards for rental homes, which should encourage the Victorian government to finally deliver this critical reform as part of its review of rental laws.
Given the electricity sector accounts for around one-third of national emissions, it must be asked why the government is only seeking to achieve 5% of the required abatement from the NEM.
Queensland property groups join forces to install solar and smart technology on 15,000 investment properties across the state, offering bill crunching PV to landlords and renters.
We need more focus on e-bikes and low speed EVs. My dream is a fold-up e-scooter with an integrated bag so it can become a wheelie bag on public transport.
Given the known failures of carbon capture and storage, investing in such technologies could amount to improper use of public funds.
Transforming our energy system may prove far less risky than propping up traditional over-built electricity supply.
Oil “supermajor” Total buys French electricity retailer as part of long-term hedge against threat to oil demand from rise of electric vehicles. And did we mention the CEO totally drives an EV?
Market operator’s latest forecasts for the uptake of electric vehicles suggests 10 million EVs, or half the car fleet, in 20 years.
SA energy storage outfit 1414 Degrees to provide NSW poultry processing plant with electricity and heat via a 25MWh thermal energy storage system.
A new solar and storage scheme aims to tackle the problem of “power poverty” in Australia head on, by offering low income households around Australia the option to install both solar and battery storage for no upfront cost.
Signs that federal Labor could “accommodate” the proposed National Energy Guarantee, on the basis that weak emissions targets could be improved later, should be treated with caution.
Ganawarra solar farm connects to grid, with work to begin on a new Tesla big battery to commence within weeks.
The redesigned NEG is likely to cause electricity prices to rise before they fall.
Report finds up to $21.5m a year going directly to host communities through wind farm benefit sharing mechanisms; billions to broader regional economies.
NSW has raised $38 billion from energy asset sales, yet has reinvested not a single dollar – despite facing the fact that most of its coal fired power stations will close in the next 14 years.
