Aussie Solar Is Moving Forward

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has declared US$23.8 million in funding for the succeeding phase of the US$44.6 million Solar Energy Transformation Program (SETuP) plan.

As a component of the next stage of the SETuP project, it will provide 17 off-grid remote indigenous populations in Central Australia, Katherine, Top End and Tiwi Islands regions of the Northern Territory with a PV project portfolio with a production capacity of 5.6MW. It is supposed to be completed by November 2018.

Solar Combination

PV power will be combined with diesel generators at 15 locations, including a 1MW PV system at the Tiwi Island community of Wurrumiyanga that will supply power to three communities on Bathurst and Melville Islands.

Once the second stage is executed, the SETuP program will provide 10 MW of solar photovoltaic power into the energy mix of 28 remote off-grid populations across the Northern Territory.

Josh Frydenberg, Australia’s Minister for the Environment and Energy, stated: "This project provides opportunities for off-grid remote Indigenous populations to decrease their reliance on diesel fuel which is subject to price fluctuations and seasonal transport issues.

"It spans the breadth of the Northern Territory, from the Tiwi Islands in the north to Aputula in the south, and demonstrates our commitment to deliver cheaper, cleaner and more reliable energy for all Australians."

ARENA and the Northern Territory Government jointly fund the project and managed by the Northern Territory Power and Water Corporation.

Words From Solar Bigwigs

The regulator’s administrator general manager, Mark Williamson, said there was a booming interest in renewables as a way to get a handle of power bills.

But he announced it was also good news for reducing carbon emissions.

“We are seeing a wide cross-section of Australians, households, community centers, schools, and small businesses, receiving incentives under the small-scale renewable energy scheme,” Williamson stated.

“Our data shows consumers are embracing renewable energy to take control of their electricity bills.”

“The data collected by the Clean Energy Regulator in 2017 reflects the industry is going from strength to strength. It looks like 2018 will be another big year for the solar industry.”

You may have read this and thought,  “shouldn’t I wait to go solar until the prices are lower and the technology is better?” We get this inquest a lot at HahaSmart, and it’s an excellent one. When we’re challenged this at events, we usually respond, “the short answer is that it’s better to go solar presently and take advantage of energy bill savings as soon as practicable.”

Curious about solar hard costs vs. soft costs near you, and how that might affect your own solar panel pricing? We here at HahaSmart you will have a look at what we can offer you on the cost of solar panels and cost of solar installations. We will strive to find you the best prices available. Follow the solar experts. Try our price checker tool. It tells you how much solar power you need and how much you can save on your energy bills each month. Please visit our solar blog to find out more about the benefits of going solar.