Solar power put pressure on electricity grid
1 month, 1 week ago

Solar power put pressure on electricity grid

ABC  

Sabra Lane: The popularity of rooftop solar power in Australia is viewed by many as a great success story, but it's not without its challenges. Daniel Mercer : It might not seem like it, but Pippa Buchanan's house is in many ways a modern type of power plant. Daniel Mercer : What's more, participating households can also have their solar output turned down or off at times when there is too much generation on the system, not that Pippa minds. Daniel Mercer : George Martin runs VPP operator Plico and he says the circumstances where solar would need to be spilled are rare and households are forewarned and compensated. Sabra Lane: That's Perth householder Pippa Buchanan ending that report by Daniel Mercer.

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History of this topic

Letters to the Editor: Financial incentives are the best way to motivate less-wealthy homeowners to go solar
2 weeks, 6 days ago

Letters to the Editor: Financial incentives are the best way to motivate less-wealthy homeowners to go solar

LA Times  

To the editor: I agree with columnist Sammy Roth that the debate regarding net metering for legacy rooftop solar is unnecessary. At least Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas & Electric already effectively bill some customers for grid use via “demand charges” in some electricity tariff schedules. A fair solution would seem simple: Charge all customers, including residential, in two …

Solar households in virtual power plants a part of 'Australia's electricity future'
1 month, 1 week ago

Solar households in virtual power plants a part of 'Australia's electricity future'

ABC  

It might not look like it, but Pippa Buchanan's house is, in many ways, a very modern type of power plant. Late last year, the Australian Energy Market Operator said "emergency" powers were urgently needed in every state to ensure rooftop solar could be turned down or switched off in extreme circumstances. "Basically, when you install solar and battery in …

Australia’s energy operator wants emergency powers to switch off rooftop solar. What does it mean for households?
3 months, 3 weeks ago

Australia’s energy operator wants emergency powers to switch off rooftop solar. What does it mean for households?

ABC  

If you're one of the 4 million Australian householders or business owners with solar panels on your roof, you may have been greeted with a rude shock at the start of this week. More precisely, those circumstances would arise when there is so much rooftop solar in the system that it's threatening to overload the grid. It's not entirely clear …

Letters to the Editor: ‘Solar glut’ isn’t a solar problem — it’s a transmission and battery problem
4 months ago

Letters to the Editor: ‘Solar glut’ isn’t a solar problem — it’s a transmission and battery problem

LA Times  

The Westlands Solar Park near the town of Lemoore in California’s San Joaquin Valley. To the editor: Every month, California throws away enough solar and wind energy to power half a million homes — not because we don’t need it, but because our system is designed to waste it. Until we align our grid operators’ incentives with our clean energy …

Solar panel owners face new payment system from 2027
4 months, 2 weeks ago

Solar panel owners face new payment system from 2027

Dutch News  

As expected, MPs have voted in favour of ending the way in which households with solar panels are paid for the excess electricity they produce and feed back into the grid from January 2027. “We can now focus on the future and work towards encouraging people to use more of the electricity that they produce,” said Nold Jaeger, a spokesman …

The Bright Side: There's light on the horizon for hefty power bills
4 months, 4 weeks ago

The Bright Side: There's light on the horizon for hefty power bills

ABC  

When it comes to getting solar panels, the cost can seem pretty daunting for the average household. But better subsidies, cheaper capital, and greater efficiency mean the average Australian could soon be saving thousands off their power bills. What started as two friends having a sunrise ocean dip has exploded into a rite of passage for hundreds of young people …

There's light on the horizon for hefty power bills
5 months ago

There's light on the horizon for hefty power bills

ABC  

When it comes to getting solar panels, the cost can seem pretty daunting for the average household. But better subsidies, cheaper capital, and greater efficiency mean the average Australian could soon be saving thousands off their power bills. What started as two friends having a sunrise ocean dip has exploded into a rite of passage for hundreds of young people …

Australia's solar power surge is world-leading, but energy storage is lagging. Are cheaper household batteries inevitable?
7 months, 4 weeks ago

Australia's solar power surge is world-leading, but energy storage is lagging. Are cheaper household batteries inevitable?

ABC  

On a suburban street in Perth, amid the pre-war homes and the peppermint trees, evidence of Australia's transforming energy system is all around. But in WA – home to the world's biggest isolated or "island" grid in the south western corner of the state – the uptake of solar also poses some thorny questions. Mr Wood said about 75 per …

The federal government is making a billion-dollar bet on Australian-made solar panels. Some aren't convinced it'll pay off
9 months, 1 week ago

The federal government is making a billion-dollar bet on Australian-made solar panels. Some aren't convinced it'll pay off

ABC  

In short: The federal government hopes $1 billion in funding can transform Australia's tiny solar industry into a global competitor. Leading economists have poured substantial doubt on the idea — and argue cheap Chinese solar panels are an advantage as Australia builds industries like green hydrogen. And when the government's own Treasury Department put together a "national interest framework" for …

India seeks to boost rooftop solar, especially for its remote areas
1 year, 1 month ago

India seeks to boost rooftop solar, especially for its remote areas

The Hindu  

Just a few years ago, someone who wanted to install a rooftop solar connection in India faced getting multiple approvals, finding a reliable company to install the panels and spending heavily before seeing the first surge of clean energy. “We had to get 45 signatures to set up a small rooftop solar connection in 2021,” said Shreya Mishra, CEO of …

India wants to hook its population onto clean energy by boosting rooftop solar
1 year, 1 month ago

India wants to hook its population onto clean energy by boosting rooftop solar

Associated Press  

BENGALURU, India — Just a few years ago, someone who wanted to install a rooftop solar connection in India faced getting multiple approvals, finding a reliable company to install the panels and spending heavily before seeing the first surge of clean energy. “We had to get 45 signatures to set up a small rooftop solar connection in 2021,” said Shreya …

'Staggering' rise of rooftop solar to put all other power generation in the shade, report finds
1 year, 1 month ago

'Staggering' rise of rooftop solar to put all other power generation in the shade, report finds

ABC  

In short: The capacity of rooftop solar will soon exceed that of coal, gas and hydro combined in Australia's main grid, a green energy report finds. The capacity of rooftop solar will soon exceed that of coal, gas and hydro combined in Australia's main grid, a green energy report finds. The capacity of rooftop solar in Australia will eclipse the …

Solar power decline: Why the industry is struggling right now, and what it needs.
1 year, 1 month ago

Solar power decline: Why the industry is struggling right now, and what it needs.

Slate  

To take it from recent headlines, it seems as though the global solar-power industry, following half a decade of record growth and governmental investment, flew just a bit too close to the sun. And larger solar firms across the country, like Texas-based Sunnova, are also facing financial headwinds, as Time magazine’s Alana Semuels noted in a report grimly headlined “The …

Electric vehicles owners and solar rooftops find mutual attraction
1 year, 3 months ago

Electric vehicles owners and solar rooftops find mutual attraction

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “Adding an EV just increases your savings and adds …

Column: How I learned to stop worrying and love rooftop solar
1 year, 3 months ago

Column: How I learned to stop worrying and love rooftop solar

LA Times  

As global leaders celebrated a hard-fought agreement to triple the world’s renewable energy production and transition away from fossil fuels, an attorney for the state of California was in a San Francisco courtroom Wednesday, defending a decision by appointees of Gov. I don’t buy the argument made by some rooftop solar advocates that those net metering critics — and academic …

Why rooftop solar is so crucial for Australia's renewable energy targets
1 year, 5 months ago

Why rooftop solar is so crucial for Australia's renewable energy targets

ABC  

In 2003, a single set of solar panels is installed on a rooftop somewhere in the Centenary suburbs of Brisbane. Associate professor Anna Bruce from UNSW's Energy Institute says rooftop solar really took off in Australia about 2012 thanks to a culmination of events. "Australia could have solar on every building, regardless of whether it's a rental or an owner …

Battery storage comes to the fore as solar power generation reaches new highs across Australia
1 year, 5 months ago

Battery storage comes to the fore as solar power generation reaches new highs across Australia

ABC  

It is, as Jason Froud knows all too well, a little-known but fundamentally important aspect of the power system. "Traditionally, you've had the electricity system that has generated the electricity at the moment that it's used," Mr Froud said. To that end, poles-and-wires company Western Power has installed about a dozen "community" batteries across Perth to store customers' excess solar …

Rooftop solar 'cannibalising' power prices as Australian generators pay to stay online
1 year, 6 months ago

Rooftop solar 'cannibalising' power prices as Australian generators pay to stay online

ABC  

Daytime power prices are plunging into negative territory – meaning generators have to pay to produce – as renewable energy increasingly cannibalises the market, according to experts. Key points: Wholesale power prices are increasingly turning negative at times of high solar output Observers say rooftop solar is "cannibalising" electricity prices and hitting large-scale solar hard There are calls for storage …

Solar panels: Should you buy them? Rent them? Pass?
1 year, 7 months ago

Solar panels: Should you buy them? Rent them? Pass?

LA Times  

Figuring out whether rooftop solar would work for your home has always been complicated, involving factors like the size and shape of your roof and the monthly amount you pay for electricity — not just now, but for the coming 20 to 30 years. The California Public Utilities Commission, which ordered the change, said the previous “net metering” fees had …

Rooftop solar poised to become Australia's biggest power source amid coal's demise
2 years ago

Rooftop solar poised to become Australia's biggest power source amid coal's demise

ABC  

Rooftop solar is poised to overtake coal as Australia's biggest source of generation capacity, as the rapid pace of new installations accelerates the decline of fossil fuel-fired power. Key points: Industry body SunWiz says rooftop solar is poised to become Australia's biggest source by capacity The forecast tipping point will be reached when AGL's Liddell coal-fired plant closes in April …

How vehicle-to-grid charging could make the power grid more reliable.
2 years, 1 month ago

How vehicle-to-grid charging could make the power grid more reliable.

Slate  

This story was originally published by Wired and has been republished here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. “Yes, if everyone plugged in at the same time and charged a car at full power, that would not work on this antiquated model of charging,” says Jan Kleissl, director of the Center for Energy Research at the University of California, …

California lowers incentives for rooftop solar panels
2 years, 3 months ago

California lowers incentives for rooftop solar panels

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California utility regulators on Thursday approved major changes to the state’s booming rooftop solar market that they say will more evenly spread the cost of energy and help reduce the state’s reliance on fossil fuels in the evening. That’s led to criticism that rooftop solar customers aren’t paying their fair share into the rest of the energy …

Calls for better consumer protections intensify as complaints over shoddy solar panels soar
2 years, 6 months ago

Calls for better consumer protections intensify as complaints over shoddy solar panels soar

ABC  

The body representing household and small business power users is pushing for greater safeguards to protect consumers from faulty solar panels and misleading advice, amid a spike in complaints over dodgy installations. Key points: An energy consumers lobby has launched a campaign to better protect customers The move comes following a "flood" of complaints over solar panels Regulators have limited …

As household solar stresses the grid, WA and South Australia will have the power to turn it off
3 years, 1 month ago

As household solar stresses the grid, WA and South Australia will have the power to turn it off

ABC  

Authorities are moving to gain more control over rooftop solar panels amid a ballooning number of installations that are threatening to overload the grid at certain times. Key points: From February 14, Western Australian authorities will have the power to switch off rooftop solar panels when the grid is under stress The new regulations will only apply to new and …

Australians install record amounts of rooftop solar despite lockdown, supply chain pressures
3 years, 1 month ago

Australians install record amounts of rooftop solar despite lockdown, supply chain pressures

ABC  

Border lockdowns and supply chain disruptions caused by COVID-19 have failed to slow the huge uptake of rooftop solar in Australia, with householders installing record amounts of new capacity last year. Key points: More than 3,000MW of rooftop solar was installed by Australian householders in 2021 The figure was a record and carries on a consistent trend of new records …

Column: How California’s rooftop solar program became a victim of its own spectacular success
3 years, 2 months ago

Column: How California’s rooftop solar program became a victim of its own spectacular success

LA Times  

Jerry Brown, left, and Arnold Schwarzeneggerare among those gathered in 2019 to mark the one-millionth solar roof installation in California. There’s one aspect of California’s program to spur the installation of rooftop solar panels that everyone can agree on: It has been spectacularly successful. #savesolar — Bernadette Del Chiaro December 13, 2021 The PUC would also slash the so-called net …

Electricity companies get green light to charge rooftop solar owners for exporting power to grid
3 years, 7 months ago

Electricity companies get green light to charge rooftop solar owners for exporting power to grid

ABC  

Power companies will soon be able to charge Australians with rooftop solar panels for exporting electricity to the grid, under new rules introduced by the Australian Energy Market Commission. AEMC chief executive Benn Barr said households selling their excess power back into the grid are putting increasingly unmanageable strain on a system that was not set up to be two-way. …

Australians with rooftop solar panels could soon be charged for exporting power into the grid, under proposed changes
4 years ago

Australians with rooftop solar panels could soon be charged for exporting power into the grid, under proposed changes

ABC  

Australians with rooftop solar panels could soon be charged for exporting electricity to the grid, under new rules being recommended by the Australian Energy Market Commission. Key points: The Australian Energy Market Commission says surplus solar electricity generation is causing "traffic jams" in the grid It says removing the ban on charging for energy exported into the grid will create …

Going Solar: My Year-Long Quest to Get Off the Grid
4 years, 4 months ago

Going Solar: My Year-Long Quest to Get Off the Grid

Wired  

Selling excess power is only part of what makes the economics of home-produced energy work, and it turns out it’s not a very big part. If I sold the entirety of the best day’s production of my home’s solar energy back to PG&E, I wouldn’t even earn a dollar. First is a federal investment tax credit, and while it once …

Rooftop solar sector to face inquiry after reports of dodgy sales practices and installations
4 years, 7 months ago

Rooftop solar sector to face inquiry after reports of dodgy sales practices and installations

ABC  

Australia's solar industry could be in for a major shakeup after the Energy Minister ordered an independent inquiry into poor practices in the sector. Key points: Energy Minister Angus Taylor has announced an inquiry into the solar industry The Clean Energy Regulator will look at sales and marketing techniques and the claiming of solar credits It will also be asked …

Rooftop solar panel owners could be getting charged fees to sell energy back to the grid
4 years, 8 months ago

Rooftop solar panel owners could be getting charged fees to sell energy back to the grid

ABC  

Householders with rooftop solar panels and batteries have reacted with fury to proposals which could see them charged for exporting power to the electricity grid. Key points: State Governments have historically rewarded people for buying solar Some state electricity grids are coming close to reaching their limit for rooftop solar Solar owners are furious with the idea, arguing they will …

Concerns over plan to switch off household solar panels when grid is unstable
4 years, 10 months ago

Concerns over plan to switch off household solar panels when grid is unstable

ABC  

Thanasis Avramis has been an advocate of solar panels since he had them installed in 2008. Key points: The Australian Energy Market Operator wants the ability to switch off household solar systems AEMO says the measure would only be needed in emergencies to stabilise grid Thanasis Avramis says it would make "Australian families pay for the mistakes of others" He …

Energy operator wants to remotely switch off rooftop solar systems amid 'uncontrolled growth'
4 years, 11 months ago

Energy operator wants to remotely switch off rooftop solar systems amid 'uncontrolled growth'

ABC  

Australia's electricity grid operator wants the power to remotely switch off or constrain the output of new rooftop solar systems, as it finds ways to manage South Australia's world-leading levels of "invisible and uncontrolled" solar output. Key points: Up to 85 per cent of SA's power demand could be met by solar by 2025 This high reliance poses challenges to …

Falling power use due to coronavirus risks system overload and blackouts, experts warn
4 years, 11 months ago

Falling power use due to coronavirus risks system overload and blackouts, experts warn

ABC  

Falling demand for electricity caused by the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic could leave Western Australia's main electricity system at risk of a solar power overload within months, experts have warned. Industry figures say the slump threatens to reduce the demand for electricity from the grid to a level where output from the region's 300,000 household solar panels could …

Solar power contributes to cheaper energy but also 'critical' grid instability, warns ESB
5 years, 1 month ago

Solar power contributes to cheaper energy but also 'critical' grid instability, warns ESB

ABC  

The security and reliability of Australia's power grid is now at a "critical" status, according to a report out this morning from the Energy Security Board, even as power prices start falling. Key points: Electricity prices are forecast to fall more than 7 per cent within a couple of years The Government's Energy Security Board warns that the grid is …

WA Parliament microgrid report fails to address how to fix our solar power network
5 years, 1 month ago

WA Parliament microgrid report fails to address how to fix our solar power network

ABC  

In the debate about creating the renewable electricity system, actions as well as words are often driven by what feels right, or even what feels good. People like renewable energy, for the most part, and images of wind turbines and sun-kissed solar panels play well to the public. The report outlines the need for better planning to ensure the proliferation …

Authorities look to control household rooftop solar power systems to stabilise the grid
5 years, 3 months ago

Authorities look to control household rooftop solar power systems to stabilise the grid

ABC  

The body that runs WA's main electricity market wants the ability to remotely dump excess solar power from households — cutting the bill rebates people receive — to safeguard the grid from surging levels of renewable energy and avoid rolling power cuts. Key points: Too much solar power in WA is threatening the stability of the electricity grid The market …

The rise of solar power is jeopardising the WA energy grid, and it's a lesson for all of Australia
5 years, 3 months ago

The rise of solar power is jeopardising the WA energy grid, and it's a lesson for all of Australia

ABC  

In Western Australia, one of the sunniest landscapes in the world, rooftop solar power has been a runaway success. "What's changing in the WEM is the fact that rooftop solar is now our single largest generator," Ms Zibelman said. A "challenging energy landscape" and the rise of rooftop solar power blows a hole in the WA utility. "There's no question …

Australian Energy Market Commission wants power prices cut and a grid suited for renewables
5 years, 6 months ago

Australian Energy Market Commission wants power prices cut and a grid suited for renewables

ABC  

Customers should be charged less when demand for electricity is low, and be updated in real time of when they can take advantage of cheap power, the Federal Government's energy advisor says. Key points: The Federal Government energy adviser calls for a "grid of the future" that can handle the flow of renewables The Australian Energy Market Commission warns of …

Electricity demand in WA set to fall for first time, AEMO forecasts, as solar power takes over
5 years, 9 months ago

Electricity demand in WA set to fall for first time, AEMO forecasts, as solar power takes over

ABC  

The body that runs the national wholesale electricity market is forecasting demand for electricity from households and businesses in WA will fall for the first time as the extraordinary uptake of solar panels reshapes the power system. Key points: "Operational consumption" of power is set to fall almost 4 per cent by 2027-28 At the same time, the share of …

Solar energy is on the rise, as coal-fired power stations age and gas prices rise — but is the grid ready?
5 years, 10 months ago

Solar energy is on the rise, as coal-fired power stations age and gas prices rise — but is the grid ready?

ABC  

While Canberra is debating whether we should increase our uptake of renewables, homeowners, businesses and state governments are voting with their feet. Key points: The uptake of large scale and rooftop solar is rising rapidly, and set to continue The way we manage the national grid needs to change to keep things running smoothly Transmission networks and energy storage for …

Electricity distributors warn excess solar power in network could cause blackouts, damage infrastructure
6 years, 5 months ago

Electricity distributors warn excess solar power in network could cause blackouts, damage infrastructure

ABC  

With almost 1.8 million Australian homes and businesses relying on power from rooftop solar panels, there is a fight brewing over the impact of solar energy on the national electricity grid. Key points: Andrew Dillon of Energy Networks Australia says the way customers are charged has to change Economist Bruce Mountain says solar power is threatening power distribution models ENA …

How government inaction fuelled Australia's renewable energy boom
6 years, 8 months ago

How government inaction fuelled Australia's renewable energy boom

ABC  

Another report, another plan and yet still, we are as far from political consensus over energy and the environment as ever. According to industry research group Green Energy Markets, renewable generation large and small made up 17.2 per cent of all Australian electricity generation in the June 2017 financial year and, with the current rush underway, is on track to …

Solar switch cuts Mumbai family’s power bill to zero
6 years, 8 months ago

Solar switch cuts Mumbai family’s power bill to zero

Hindustan Times  

This summer, the Pansari family, staying in Yashodham, Goregaon, did not pay any money for their electricity bills. After installing a 15 kilowatt power rooftop solar system, comprising 54 panels, the family was able to power their entire bungalow’s electricity requirements using the solar energy. We expect to save ₹2.5 lakh annually due to the solar project and the cost …

Solar panel surge is overloading the electricity grid and could lead to blackouts: energy group
6 years, 9 months ago

Solar panel surge is overloading the electricity grid and could lead to blackouts: energy group

ABC  

A sharp rise in the number of solar rooftop installations in Queensland is flooding the network and could lead to blackouts or frequency issues, Energy Networks Australia says. Chief Executive Andrew Dillon said the electricity grid was not designed to cope with the amount of energy being generated in the middle of the day when demand is low, resulting in …

Farming the sun's rays: Should Australia follow India's lead and create solar parks?
7 years ago

Farming the sun's rays: Should Australia follow India's lead and create solar parks?

ABC  

Australia is a huge landmass with an incredible amount of sunshine, so should our farmers be able to farm the sun's rays? The Government of Karnataka's Minister for Energy, Doddalahalli Kempegowda Shivakumar, said: "We have set the goal to source at least 20 per cent of people's power requirements from renewable projects". Energy market analyst Tim Buckley says solar farming …

Solar power: What happens when we start producing more electricity than we can consume?
7 years ago

Solar power: What happens when we start producing more electricity than we can consume?

ABC  

While Australia leads the world in the use of rooftop solar power, some experts say there could soon be too much power coming online — and governments will have little choice but to cut subsidies. Key points: 3.5 million solar panels were installed on Australian rooftops in 2017 1 in 5 households saving money on power bills by selling excess …

Solar boom: New schemes may help renters get solar panels on their roof
7 years, 1 month ago

Solar boom: New schemes may help renters get solar panels on their roof

ABC  

Sunny Australia sure is the lucky country for many of us cashing in on the financial benefits of putting solar panels on their roof — but what can renters do if they want to save money and reduce their greenhouse emissions? Key points Cheaper solar and more expensive grid electricity mean it's more affordable to finance rooftop solar Schemes are …

Solar 'revolution' as residents sharing energy create virtual power plants
7 years, 4 months ago

Solar 'revolution' as residents sharing energy create virtual power plants

ABC  

A revolution in solar power with battery storage is changing the nature of Australia's energy grid. Key points: Customers' excess energy sold back to the grid Technology enables owners of solar panels to feed surplus power into a network of other residents with batteries Customers pay small flat rate to share and receive power Today Chief Scientist Alan Finkel released …

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