Roll up, roll up, Get-Up have sold their soul – ostensibly for solar.

When Get Up were begged to get involved in the huge NSW fight with O’Farrell in order to save the solar subsidies, and the solar industry in that State, they refused.

Repeatedly contacted by Solar Industry Associations to help save the Australian Solar Industry as State and Territory Governments slashed solar rebates, Get Up ignored the pleas and the possibilities to save a crucial Australian Industry which should be a world leader.

All Get-Up’s claims of being neutral, non-political, non-affiliated and non-commercial have bitten the dust with their latest email which plagiarises not-for-profits language, terminology and stats on the solar industry, and sells out their membership & mailing list to profit themselves and one savvy solar company.

With the pretence of being for the good of the nation, for the sake of the solar industry, and in the face of the coal and CSG controversies (all of which GetUp members care passionately about), Get UP have sold their soul and their integrity for $150 a pop.

I, for one, am cancelling my membership, and I urge intelligent Australians to do the same.  Invest in solar – yes.  Join the Renewable Revolution – yes.  But do your research, deal with a local professional, and don’t fall for some slick salesmanship from Get UP or any other organisation.

Australia’s future is solar, but this isn’t the way forward.

Once again the Federal Government has fast tracked the reduction in the Solar Credit Multiplier by closing the scheme 6 months ahead of the already reduced schedule.  From January homeowners wishing to install Solar Power will have to find around $1000 extra to foot the bill for having solar installed.

The Solar Industry has to once again weather the storm of bad policy decisions made without industry consultation, companies ramping up employment & material purchases for the final push into 2013 have once again had the rug pulled out from under them.

More information can be found at The Clean Energy Regulator website

Labour has agreed to implement a number of Climate and Energy Policies in return for the Greens Vote

Most notably “Delivering the ACT’s 40% climate change target, with  90% renewables by 2020″

Click the link to view the full Parliamentary Agreement 

Energy and Water Supply Minister Mark McArdle said the Solar Bonus Scheme, which started in 2008, had met its objectives of stimulating the local solar PV industry and helped make solar energy more affordable for many Queenslanders.

Mr McArdle said solar energy uptake in Queensland had grown significantly since the Solar Bonus Scheme started on 1 July 2008.

“Installed solar PV capacity under the Scheme has increased from just 3.2 megawatts in 2008 to more than 461 megawatts today,” he said.
“The number of scheme participants has also increased from 1,200 to more than 180,000 today, meaning Queensland has the largest solar PV capacity in Australia.
“We have also seen rapid growth in the Queensland solar PV industry where strong market demand has seen the cost of solar PV systems more than halve and the number of accredited solar installers rise from 78 in 2008 to approximately 1,100 in 2011.”

People thinking of installing Solar have until July 9 to apply to receive the 44c FiT, if the application is submitted after this date they will only be eligible for the 8c FiT

ARECA believes a “Fair and Reasonable” price for Solar PV is a parity 1:1 retail payment which may require a minor subsidy from the Government, but we believe if the new scheme also includes Net metering with no cash payments to eliminate over sized systems any subsidy required will only be minor.

Changes to the Queensland Solar Bonus Scheme include:

• The scheme will close to new applications effective from midnight on 9 July 2012;
• A replacement feed-in tariff of 8 cents per kilowatt hour will apply from 10 July 2012 and end on 1 July 2014, pending a further review of the scheme;
• Existing Solar Bonus Scheme participants will continue to receive the current 44 cents per kilowatt hour feed-in tariff as long as they continue to meet eligibility criteria; and
• The Queensland Competition Authority will conduct a review and make recommendations by early 2013 on a subsidy free “fair and reasonable” solar feed-in tariff for Queensland.

When completed the project will generate enough electricity to power around 30,000 homes.

The Minister for Resources and Energy, Martin Ferguson AM MP, said the project represents excellent value for money and the opportunity to ensure Australia brings industrial-scale solar power to market.

“At the end of the day it all comes down to cost, and if large scale solar is going to succeed in Australia it has to be cost competitive.” Minister Ferguson said.

At half the cost of the original Solar Flagship proposal (Moree Solar Farm) this projects shows that Large Scale Solar is becoming cost competitive and will be the power of the future.

All short-listed PV projects applicants for the Solar Flagships funding, including Moree Solar Farm, TRUenergy and Infigen-Suntech, were assessed by the Solar Flagships Council and found to be of high merit. The projects will therefore be referred for funding consideration and decision by the new Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

CARNEGIE Wave Energy hit a major milestone today – finalising all the investment needed for its first revenue-creating project.

The Fremantle-based company has secured $31 million in cash through a Government grant and institutional investment for the Perth Wave Energy Project.

Located at Garden Island, the project is the first of its kind in Australia because it uses wave technology to produce up to five megawatts of electricity.

The company expects the first stage of the project, which will have a two megawatt capacity, to be pumping electricity back into the WA grid by the end of next year after signing agreements with Synergy.

Read the Full story in the Perth Now here Support swells for Perth Wave Energy Project

RAA has been established to represent and self-regulate the activities of REC Agents through membership and a strict code of conduct.

For more information see below RAA Media Release

MEDIA RELEASE

30 APRIL 2012

Formation of REC Agents Association

Australia’s clean energy regulatory framework has been strengthened with the announcement today of the establishment of a new, independent body to represent businesses and individuals (Agents) that create and trade in Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs).

The REC Agents Association (RAA) has been established to represent and self-regulate the activities of businesses creating and trading RECs, the trading system that underpins Australia’s Renewable Energy Target (RET) and facilitates the installation of solar panels and solar hot water systems.

The RAA will work closely with the Australian Government and the new Clean Energy Regulator to monitor and improve compliance by Agents with relevant Acts, and to provide advise to the statutory reviews of the RET.  RAA will work with members of the Federal Parliament and key stakeholders on issues affecting Agents

The RAA will be a strong, public advocate for the RET and other market based schemes.  The RAA will also address some of the misinformation around the cost and effectiveness of these schemes, in particular that the RET is a major driver of rising electricity prices.  In fact, the Australian Energy Market Commission has shown renewable energy schemes are only responsible for 3% of the likely raise in power prices over the next few years.

RAA provides for varying levels of membership, to accommodate large and small Agents.  RAA will be developing and administering a code of conduct, which all members will be required to sign, to ensure Agents act ethically, comply with all relevant laws and act according to agreed industry standards.  These will reinforce confidence in the activities of Agents creating and trading RECs.

The inaugural Board of the RAA includes four of the leading REC Agents in Australia: Ric Brazzale, President (CEO of Green Energy Trading); Fiona O’Hehir, Vice President (Greenbank Environmental); Geoffrey Alexander, Treasurer (COZero) and Stephen Coleman (RET Australia).

The REC Agents Association will not represent householders, but the “registered” Agents to whom RECs have been assigned by the owners of eligible renewable energy systems.  Initially, RAA will focus on the small scale renewable energy market and the creation and trading of small scale technology certificates.  RAA believes that the experience and expertise of the inaugural board will provide strong guidance to its members on both compliance and policy perspectives.

The REC Agents Association is a national not-for-profit association, registered with ASIC, initially funded by membership fees.

More information on RAA can be found at www.recagents.org.au

For further information, please contact RIC Brazzale on 0419 522 659 or Fiona O’Hehir on 03 9845 3007.

With the massive price rises over the last few years to NSW electricity bills, people are now looking for ways to reduce their power usage to try to reduce their bills.

It is a great thing that people are reducing their demand on the electricity network by turning items off at the power point, wearing more clothes instead of turning on the heater or air conditioner, BUT Will this work?

In the short term yes BUT not for long as consumers will be lumped with an average 16.4% rise in the cost of electricity in July.  Power consumption will be down but electricity bills will not.

The electricity providers will keep trying to tell you that its all the Green Schemes that are adding so much cost to your electricity bills and yes they do add a small amount but no where near the cost of updating the poles and wires that need upgrading due to higher demand and lack of maintenance over many years.

Power is never going to get cheaper, it will continue to rise even without any Green Schemes to pay for, so people will continue to try to reduce their reliance on the power coming from the street by either switching off more power to their homes and doing without or by producing power for themselves with either solar, wind or hydro.

The massive reduction in prices for solar panels over the last few years has brought the cost of producing solar power down close to the cost of fossil fuel power and with the continuing price rises in fossil fuel power it will not be long until you can produce your own power cheaper than you can buy it from the electricity companies.

Lets get serious and unshackle ourselves from the polluting fossil fuelled power of the past and take us into the future with Renewables.

The narrative of this documentary is that Anna seeks to change Nick’s mind about climate change, while Nick is trying to change hers. They travel around the world together, meeting up with supporters of their respective positions, discussing the scientific evidence and challenging each other’s positions.

The documentary will be followed by a Q&A panel, consisting of the two main protagonists (antagonists?) Nick and Rose, and no — not climate scientists, but mining magnate Clive Palmer, and social researcher and writer Rebecca Huntley, and the chief executive of the CSIRO Dr Megan Clark. This ought to make for some lively coverage, given that Clive Palmer has recently alleged that the CIA funded Greenpeace to harm Australian industrial interests.

“The project will provide one of the most visible uses of solar technology in Alice Springs,” Mr Hampton said.

“The project will work in tandem with the current air conditioning project at the Araluen Arts Centre in regards to the construction timeframes and infrastructure requirements.

“This will significantly lower the energy use within the Araluen Arts Centre, saving approximately $90,000 a year in energy costs, and reducing carbon emissions in Central Australia.

“The project will include an interpretive display with the Arts Centre, allowing visitors to understand the operation of the solar system and its benefits to the facility”.

“Since Alice Springs became a designated solar city In March 2008, thousands of households and residents have taken steps to become more energy efficient.

“This milestone is a clear indication that Alice Springs does lead the way as solar energy champions, and the Araluen Solar project will join other high profile solar city projects including:

-the Alice Springs Airport solar project
-the Uterne solar power station
-the pool heating system at the Aquatic and Leisure Centre
-the photovoltaic system at the Crowne Plaza

“Alice Solar City is overseen by a consortium of local public and private organisations including: Alice Springs Town Council; Northern Territory Government; Power and Water Corporation; Arid Lands Environment Centre; Tangentyere Council; and Northern Territory Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“The aim of the Alice Solar City project is to empower the community to become energy champions through improved awareness, energy efficiency measures, solar energy technology and smart electricity metering and tariffs.

“Alice Solar City provided funds totalling $30,000, as approved and provided by the Australian Government, to CAT Projects to design the Araluen Arts Centre solar system, in conjunction with the project managers, the Northern Territory Government Department of Construction and Infrastructure.