Solar power: What happens when we start producing more electricity than we can consume? 10 April 2018;

http://www.abc.net.au

Government figures show 3.5 million solar panels were installed on Australian rooftops last year, an average of almost 10,000 every day. That is a 41 per cent increase on the previous year, driven by the twin incentives of cheaper solar panels from China and rising power bills. Now one in five households are saving money on power bills by selling excess electricity back to the grid.

Claiming the tax deduction for solar panels on a rented property 27 March 2018;

www.smh.com.au

The ability to claim a deduction for amounts paid depend on a number of income tax principles. What can be claimed as a tax deduction depends on whether the payment is classed as an expense or an asset, and whether it is related to running a business or is private in nature.

Australia's solar power boom could almost double capacity in a year, analysts say 12 Feb 2018

www.theguardian.com/

A record-breaking month of rooftop installations and a flood of large-scale solar farms could almost double Australia’s solar power capacity in a single year, industry analysts say.

A massive solar energy boom is being predicted for 2018, after an unprecedented number of industrial solar farms were approved by the New South Wales and Queensland governments last year.

The rush to install rooftop panels could have been sparked by January’s warm weather and rising energy prices.

$170 million Finley solar farm to create work for 200 people. 9 Feb 2018

http://www.bordermail.com.au

A $170 million solar farm project at Finley with the capacity to power 60,000 homes is expected to employ 200 people.

SCO Pacific received approval from the NSW government in January to establish 500,000 panels across 300 hectares of private agriculutral land, six kilometres west of the township.

Work’s expected to start in the middle of this year and take approximately nine months to complete.

Tesla and SA Government to give solar panels and batteries to 50,000 homes.4 Feb 2018

https://www.9news.com.au/national/2018

The South Australian government will roll out at least 50,000 home solar panels and batteries across the state, in a plan to create the "

world's largest Virtual Power Plant". There is a "plan for at least 50,000 households to participate over the next four years," the government said in a statement.

The 250MW plant is expected to reduce participants’ energy bills by 30 percent.

SOLAR and diesel hybrid bore pumps are saving irrigators money.;5 Dec 2017;

http://www.northqueenslandregister.com.au/story

Work funded by the cotton and sugarcane industries shows installing micro-grids on pump sites is currently a good choice for irrigators.

Not only does the investment lead to cuts in grid electricity or fuel use, the switch can result in improved irrigation efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Solar energy developers attracted to Port Augusta  25 Oct 2016;

abc.net.au/news

For the past five years, the community has been pushing for a transition from coal to renewable energy, which is now steps closer to becoming reality.

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Solar, battery demand set to surge as energy prices soar, survey finds 23 Jan 2017 

www.smh.com.au

Soaring prices of electricity and gas are prompting many more people to consider adding solar panels and batteries to give them greater control over costs, a consumer survey has found. The study, involving almost 2500 households conducted by UMR Research for Energy Consumers Australia and KPMG, found about 34 per cent were considering adopting solar panels within the next five year compared with the 15 per cent now owing photovoltaics.

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Australia's biggest solar farm opens at Nyngan, western NSW       17 Apr 2015 

abc.net.au/news

A solar farm in western New South Wales, the southern hemisphere's biggest, has taken its place on the world stage. Energy company AGL has installed the last of more than 1.3 million solar panels on what used to be the flat red earth of a sheep paddock. The Nyngan farm will generate 102 megawatts of power, putting it at the forefront of Australian solar power generation when it is fully operational in July 2015. The solar farm will be the biggest in the southern hemisphere when it becomes fully operational in July. It will remain the biggest until such time that a Chilean plant is complete. AGL development project manager Adam Matchett said the farm was on time, on budget and on track. He said the development had not been without its problems, with much of the construction work taking place in the long hot days of a western NSW summer. "We had to be very aware of workplace health and safety issues around the heat, and also around the risk of snakes on site," Mr Matchett said. NSW Minister for Industry, Resources and Energy Anthony Roberts attended the opening, along with recently appointed Minister for the Environment Mark Speakman. Mr Roberts said NSW was at the forefront of the development of large scale solar and renewable energies, however he did concede there was considerable uncertainty in the industry about what the future holds for renewables in Australia. "The Renewable Energy Target is clearly something that needs to be resolved," he said. "But this issue also highlights the fact that there is considerable change in the energy sector. "And that change in the energy sector is one reason why we need to finalise the leasing of the poles and wires."

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Powerwall: Solar energy storage batteries 'set to transform Australian electricity industry 22 May 2015

abc.net.au/news

Australia's electricity industry is about to undergo a massive transformation, with the advent of cheap storage batteries for solar energy. US billionaire Elon Musk, a co-founder of PayPal, this month launched a lithium-ion battery called the Powerwall that is expected to sell in Australia next year for about $5,500. It was developed alongside his revolutionary Tesla electric car, launched late last year. "You can actually go, if you want, completely off-grid," Mr Musk said of the batteries. "You can take your solar panels, charge the battery packs and that's all you use." Bloomberg new energy finance analyst Kobad Bhavnagri said the batteries would be "a complete game-changer".

Adelaide City Council Programme, Solar Battery rebates open a new ERA on solar indusrty23 June 2015

abc.net.au/news

Upto $5000 will be available to Adelaide city council residents and businesses to put a battery system from july. This is on top of ongoing grants (stcs). Adelaide City Council said its program was the first of its kind in Australia and would benefit both its ratepayers and the environment. Electricity retailers are developing batteries to store power generated by rooftop solar panels so it can be drawn on at night.for info contact adelaide city council

Australia can be a global solar and wind superpower, and the CEFC is the key13 JuLy 2015

www.smh.com.au/environment

Australia is perfectly placed to become the next global superpower of renewable energy, the "Saudi Arabia of solar" for the coming century. CEFC is key to fund solar to achieve Renewable energy target and support individuals go solar.

How battery-powered homes are unplugging Australia 1 Aug 2015

www.smh.com.au/business/energy

Solar battery revolution in Australia can encourage many Australian having roof top with a battry bank to store and utilise the power they harvested from sun.

Solar power for rent: Electricity companies offer solar, battery technology for lease 07 Aug 2015

abc.net.au/news

Many people explore ways to reduce their power bills and ultimately save money. Everyone has little tricks or tips to achieve this using solar power but not everyone has a luxury to purchase solar outright. Now they can Lease solar power.

Another Shining Star! $75m solar farm north of Cairns gets shining light 07 Aug 2015

cairnspost.com.au/news

Construction of the solar PV (photovoltaic)/battery storage project is due to start in October, involving 70 workers for nine months. It will be built on Butchers Hill between the Lakeland Roadhouse and an electricity substation, feeding directly into the Ergon Energy grid.

This Is Where The World’s First Entirely Solar-Powered Airport Has Been Unveiled 18 Aug 2015

time.com

Cochin International Airport in the southern Indian state of Kerala became the world’s first entirely solar-powered airport.The airport’s solar power plant, which is comprised of more than 46,000 solar panels arrayed across 45 acres of land, will produce 48,000 units of energy per day, the Economic Times reports.Over the next 25 years, the new power system is expected to save 300,000 tons of carbon emissions, the equivalent of planting three million trees.

Massive Solar Investment could give up to 10 Solar power stations to Australia 09 Sep 2015 

www.solarestimate.com.au

Two of the leading national renewable agencies are planning to fund massive solar power investement by constructing up to 10 large scale solar projects in Australia.ARENA AND CEFC Announced $350 Million Investment.