The year that was: RenewEconomy’s top stories of 2015

This time last year, we were looking back over an annus horribilis that saw Tony Abbott’s “Team Australia” dump its world-leading carbon price and put its renewable energy target on ice, while The Rest of the World went from strength to strength on clean energy growth and carbon emissions reduction.

Here we are in December 2015, and things are looking up. In Australia, we have a new PM, a new (but diminished) renewable energy target, and a new UN climate deal forged at the Paris COP21, that has re-focused the world’s efforts on limiting global warming to 2°C and put a fire under the renewable energy market.

So here are our top 12 most read – voted by you! – stories for the year that was 2015 … It’s true, Tony Abbott outrageous attacks on climate change, clean energy and common sense attracted a lot of interest, but people mostly preferred positive stories about new technologies. Especially battery storage.

1. Tesla targets Australia as 1st market for Powerwall, deliveries in 2015

Australia has been prioritised as first global market to get the 7kWh Tesla Powerwall home battery storage systems, with first deliveries later this year.

2. World’s first grid-connected wave energy array switched on in Perth

Carnegie Wave Energy switches on Perth Wave Energy Project – the world’s first commercial wave energy array to feed energy to the grid.

3. Tesla already forcing down battery storage prices in Australia

Tesla announcement has already forced battery storage pricing in Australia to come down by one third, with further rapid falls to follow.

4. Even at $10/barrel, oil can’t match solar on cost

Major Gulf bank says oil cannot compete against latest solar prices, even at $10/barrel. It predicts massive investment in solar and wind in coming years, as Gulf region seeks to become centre for renewable financing and technology development, and as the oil industry fades.

5. Hybrid solar costs and battery storage

With a plethora of battery storage products about to, or already hitting the market – 2015 is surely bringing in the age of hybrid solar.

6. Solar at grid parity in most of world by 2017

Deutsche Bank says solar could be at grid parity in most global markets within two years. It predicts the US market will soar to 16GW a year, solar costs will continue to fall and the slump in oil prices will have a negligible impact on solar’s march.

7. How Tesla battery storage compares with rivals on prices

Tesla has been credited with a step change in pricing on battery storage technology. But how does it really compare with rivals?

8. Giant wind and solar complex to challenge Abbott’s coal plans

A world-leading 1,200MW wind and solar project proposed for north Queensland is competing head to head with a new coal power station proposal favoured by Tony Abbott, who is keen to give taxpayer loans to the coal generator, but not the wind facility.

9. Abbott’s Achilles heel: Is it ideology or ignorance?

Tony Abbott’s decision to award an Australian knighthood to a 93 year-old British prince tells us all we need to know about this Coalition government: isolated, ignorant and locked in the past. Now we may find out if there are any moderates left in government, and if Australia’s climate and clean energy policies can be retrieved.

10.Why solar costs will fall another 40% in just two years

Even the world’s biggest fossil fuel producers recognise that solar is winning the cost war. In the next two years, solar costs will fall even further – as much as 40 per cent. Here’s how.

11. How three-phase trickery from utilities is ripping off solar households

Electricity networks have spotted a pile of solar owners’ cash on the floor and have figured out how to covertly take it from under their noses.

12. Carbon Crash, solar dawn: Deutsche Bank on why solar has already won

Deutsche Bank says solar market is massive, will generate $5 trillion in revenue by 2030. It describes solar plus storage as next the killer app, and says even in India there will be 25% solar by 2022.