The biggest solar power plants in Queensland.

Over the years, the state has seen a significant increase in solar power plants as it aims to transition to a more sustainable energy future. In this article, we will take a closer look at 7 of the biggest solar power plants in Queensland.

  1. Western Downs Green Power Hub Located in Chinchilla, this solar power plant has a capacity of 400 MW and covers an area of 540 hectares. It is currently the largest solar power plant in Queensland and one of the largest in the country. The project was developed by Neoen and completed in 2020. The solar farm generates enough electricity to power 235,000 homes annually. Visit their website here: Western Downs Green Power Hub
  2. Haughton Solar Farm Located in the Burdekin Shire, this solar power plant has a capacity of 500 MW and covers an area of 1,200 hectares. The project is being developed by Pacific Hydro and is expected to be completed in 2023. Once completed, the solar farm will generate enough electricity to power 180,000 homes annually. Visit their website here: Haughton Solar Farm
  3. Western Downs Solar Project Located in Dalby, this solar power plant has a capacity of 350 MW and covers an area of 540 hectares. The project was developed by Neoen and completed in 2019. The solar farm generates enough electricity to power 235,000 homes annually. Visit their website here: Western Downs Solar Project
  4. Brigalow Solar Farm Located in the Western Downs Region, this solar power plant has a capacity of 120 MW and covers an area of 160 hectares. The project was developed by Lighthouse Infrastructure and completed in 2019. The solar farm generates enough electricity to power 36,000 homes annually. Visit their website here: Brigalow Solar Farm
  5. Ross River Solar Farm Located in Townsville, this solar power plant has a capacity of 148 MW and covers an area of 202 hectares. The project was developed by Palisade Investment Partners and ESCO Pacific and was completed in 2018. The solar farm generates enough electricity to power 54,000 homes annually. Visit their website here: Ross River Solar Farm
  6. Clare Solar Farm Located in Ayr, this solar power plant has a capacity of 100 MW and covers an area of 120 hectares. The project was developed by Fotowatio Renewable Ventures and completed in 2018. The solar farm generates enough electricity to power 42,000 homes annually. Visit their website here: Clare Solar Farm
  7. Kidston Solar Project Located in Kidston, this solar power plant has a capacity of 50 MW and covers an area of 160 hectares. The project was developed by Genex Power and completed in 2017. The solar farm generates enough electricity to power 26,484 homes annually. Visit their website here: Kidston Solar Project

In addition to these solar farms, there are many other solar projects currently being developed in Queensland, with the state aiming to reach its target of 50% renewable energy by 2030.

It is clear that solar power has a bright future in Queensland, as the state continues to invest in large-scale solar projects and pave the way for a cleaner, more sustainable energy future. With its abundant sunshine and vast open spaces, it’s no surprise that Queensland is leading the charge in solar energy in Australia.

As the world continues to shift towards renewable energy, it’s exciting to see the progress being made in Queensland, and it will be interesting to see what new solar projects will be developed in the years to come.

If you’re interested in learning more about solar power in Queensland or how you can make the switch to renewable energy, there are many resources available online, including the Queensland Government’s official website on renewable energy.

In conclusion, Queensland is home to some of the biggest solar power plants in the country, with the top 10 solar farms listed above leading the way in generating clean, renewable energy for the state. With more solar projects in the pipeline, Queensland is well on its way to achieving its ambitious renewable energy targets and creating a more sustainable future for generations to come.

 

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Rebates for small business commercial solar in Victoria!

The Victorian government have announced a new scheme to help increase small business commercial solar in Victoria – with two different rebates currently available. Let’s take a look at what your company should do if you’re thinking about installing – you can get a rebate of up to $3,500 to help pay it off!

Commercial Solar in Victoria – Solar for Business rebate

Solar for Business rebates (source: solar.vic.gov.au)

According to the Victorian government website, from May 2021 eligible small businesses in Victoria can apply for the Solar for Business Program rebate. The rebate offer includes up to 50% or $3,500 (whichever amounts to less) on eligible solar power systems.

The program is eligible to quite a lot of small businesses, here’s the skinny on the details if you want to apply:

You must:

  • Be the owner of a business which has less than 20 employees     
  • Operate from premises that are not considered residential     
  • Operate from premises that are individually metered    
  • Have your system installed by a Solar Victoria approved solar retailer (click for a search) as detailed on Solar Victoria’s website   
  • Install a solar system with a PV capacity size up to a maximum of 30kW, as detailed on the Solar Victoria approved product list

Solar for business has been a no brainer for quite a while now, so with rebates like this being offered there’s never been a better time to consider installing renewable energy at your small business. If your bills are in the thousands per month you will save money installing solar. To also enjoy a rebate from the government is a very nice sweetener indeed – hopefully we see the scheme being taken up and similar rebates in other states implemented.

To register your interest please click here.

Small Business Energy Saver Program in Victoria

The Small Business Energy Saver Program is another option – providing generous bonuses of up to $2,000 for companies who upgrade to more energy-efficient equipment, such as air-conditioning, refrigeration, and heating pumps. 15,000 solar rebates will be available under the program – these will be doled out over the next three years.

(Very) rough solar installation costs – commercial solar in Victoria

Generally you can budget around $1000 per kilowatt (a little over a dollar a watt) of power on your system (after STCs), e.g. a 50kW system will be around $50,000 (closer to $65k in WA, if you’re thinking about a place to set up commercial solar…). This is obviously very, very rough and you’ll pay a bit more per watt for a smaller system (e.g. 10-30kW) rather than up to 100kW, so don’t quote me on these prices. Please note that the Solar for Business rebate only covers systems to a max of 30kW!

If you do want some help with getting a price guide for commercial solar installation or you’d like someone to go over some quotations with please email us and we’d be happy to help.

You can also get help with some rough savings numbers by using the solar calculator at the Queensland government website.

Registered accredited providers

The Victorian website has an up to date list of accredited providers for the scheme, but if you’re interested in installing commercial solar in Victoria and taking party in the rebate scheme, here’s a list current as per 12.04.21:

Barwon South West

Energy Makeovers
Replace inefficient electric hot water systems
Replace inefficient gas hot water systems
Upgrade to efficient room reverse cycle air-conditioners
Install energy efficient refrigeration and ventilation fans and motors
Install energy efficient refrigerator display cabinets
1300 788 776
[email protected]

Expert Group
Peter Brodribb
Install energy efficient refrigerator display cabinets
03 9592 9111
[email protected]

LED Saves
Rob Reyes
Replace inefficient electric hot water systems
Replace inefficient gas hot water systems
03 9088 0285
[email protected]

Gippsland

Energy Makeovers
Replace inefficient electric hot water systems
Replace inefficient gas hot water systems
Upgrade to efficient room reverse cycle air-conditioners
Install energy efficient refrigeration and ventilation fans and motors
Install energy efficient refrigerator display cabinets
1300 788 776
[email protected]

Expert Group
Peter Brodribb
Install energy efficient refrigerator display cabinets
03 9592 9111
[email protected]

Homelab
Mr Jack Labno
Replace inefficient electric hot water systems
Replace inefficient gas hot water systems
Upgrade to efficient room reverse cycle air-conditioners
Install energy efficient refrigerator display cabinets
Install energy efficient fridges and freezers
Install energy efficient refrigeration and ventilation fans and motors
Install water efficient pre-rinse spray valves.
1300 781 614
[email protected]

LED Saves
Rob Reyes
Replace inefficient electric hot water systems
Replace inefficient gas hot water systems
03 9088 0285
[email protected]

Wattly
Patrick Blain
Replace inefficient electric hot water systems
Replace inefficient gas hot water systems
Install energy efficient refrigerator display cabinets
1300 878 500
[email protected]

Grampians

Energy Makeovers
Replace inefficient electric hot water systems
Replace inefficient gas hot water systems
Upgrade to efficient room reverse cycle air-conditioners
Install energy efficient refrigeration and ventilation fans and motors
Install energy efficient refrigerator display cabinets
1300 788 776
[email protected]

Expert Group
Peter Brodribb
Install energy efficient refrigerator display cabinets
03 9592 9111
[email protected]

Homelab
Mr Jack Labno
Replace inefficient electric hot water systems
Replace inefficient gas hot water systems
Upgrade to efficient room reverse cycle air-conditioners
Install energy efficient refrigerator display cabinets
Install energy efficient fridges and freezers
Install energy efficient refrigeration and ventilation fans and motors
Install water efficient pre-rinse spray valves.
1300 781 614
[email protected]

LED Saves
Rob Reyes
Replace inefficient electric hot water systems
Replace inefficient gas hot water systems
03 9088 0285
[email protected]

Hume

Expert Group
Peter Brodribb
Install energy efficient refrigerator display cabinets
03 9592 9111
[email protected]

Homelab
Mr Jack Labno
Replace inefficient electric hot water systems
Replace inefficient gas hot water systems
Upgrade to efficient room reverse cycle air-conditioners
Install energy efficient refrigerator display cabinets
Install energy efficient fridges and freezers
Install energy efficient refrigeration and ventilation fans and motors
Install water efficient pre-rinse spray valves.
1300 781 614
[email protected]

LED Saves
Rob Reyes
Replace inefficient electric hot water systems
Replace inefficient gas hot water systems
03 9088 0285
[email protected]

Wattly
Patrick Blain
Replace inefficient electric hot water systems
Replace inefficient gas hot water systems
Install energy efficient refrigerator display cabinets
1300 878 500
[email protected]

Loddon Mallee

Energy Makeovers
Replace inefficient electric hot water systems
Replace inefficient gas hot water systems
Upgrade to efficient room reverse cycle air-conditioners
Install energy efficient refrigeration and ventilation fans and motors
Install energy efficient refrigerator display cabinets
1300 788 776
[email protected]

Expert Group
Peter Brodribb
Install energy efficient refrigerator display cabinets
03 9592 9111
[email protected]

Homelab
Mr Jack Labno
Replace inefficient electric hot water systems
Replace inefficient gas hot water systems
Upgrade to efficient room reverse cycle air-conditioners
Install energy efficient refrigerator display cabinets
Install energy efficient fridges and freezers
Install energy efficient refrigeration and ventilation fans and motors
Install water efficient pre-rinse spray valves.
1300 781 614
[email protected]

LED Saves
Rob Reyes
Replace inefficient electric hot water systems
Replace inefficient gas hot water systems
03 9088 0285
[email protected]

 

 

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Space Solar banned from Govt Rebate Scheme.

Solar company Space Solar have been banned from the Government Rebate Scheme for two years after an inspection conducted by Solar Victoria and Energy Safe Victoria found out that the company were employing unlicensed electrical workers, who were then “carry out works in an unsafe manner”.

Space Solar banned from Government Rebate Scheme.

Space Solar, also known as Community Energy Group, have had their director’s membership cancelled and (for the time being, their website is still up)

The company describes itself as the leading solar installer in Sydney and Melbourne with a decade of experience and a “team of professional engineers”.

According to an article in The Age, customers have been told to contact Consumer Affairs, and the government is expecting Space Solar to cover any costs. Sure that’ll work well.

The $2225 subsidy being offered to new solar installations in Victoria has attracted significant criticism for the method of its rollout and impact on solar installers (i.e. consumers ‘waiting’ to get the highly limited rebate and holding off on having solar installed)

Following on from such government-championed schemes such as the pink batts disaster, the government were quick to respond. Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio was scathing in her explanation of the situation:

“This kind of behaviour is totally unacceptable. Customers deserve to know their solar installations are completed to the highest standards and that’s why we have such a strict audit regime in the country,” she said.

“The majority of solar retailers and installers do the right thing – we’re acting to protect their reputation and uphold the standards of our world-leading solar industry.”

The company was registered as a Clean Energy Council-certified solar retailer in August. You have to use Council-approved retailers to claim the government rebate.  A new company named Solar Victoria was created to roll out the program, and the former boss of the government’s Victorian Cladding Taskforce, Stan Krpan is in charge of the company. Hopefully we see some more stringent checks on installs and weed out more installers who don’t follow by the guidelines. 

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Power Ledger Extend Solar Trading Trial

Western Australian based tech company Power Ledger have extended their solar trading trial – let’s take a look at what stage 2 of the company’s p2p renewable trading scheme will encompass.

Solar Trading and Power Ledger

Power Ledger’s blockchain technology has been used since November 2018 to track the transactions of rooftop solar energy traded between 18 households in Fremantle, Western Australia.

The Fremantle Smart Cities project was titled RENeW Nexus and its goal was to demonstrate peer-to-peer energy trading between residential houses. 

Project partners included Curtin University, government-owned retailer Synergy, Western Power, the government-owned network operator, and the City of Fremantle itself.

The trial works by utilising Western Power’s existing network with Synergy’s customers. The Power Ledger platform allows households to buy and sell excess rooftop solar energy in real-time, with residents able to view electricity usage in 30-minute intervals, rather than waiting for their quarterly bill.

Since the trial started in November 2018, Power Ledger has processed almost 50,000 transactions on its platform per month and tracked over 4 megawatt hours of peer-to-peer renewable energy trades. Safe to say it’s been a roaring success, so they’re off to start the second phase of their trial. 

Power Ledger are also working outside of Australia in varied capacity:

  • Silicon Valley Power in the City of Santa Clara alongside Clean Energy Blockchain Network
  • BCPG T77 Thailand
  • Kansai Electric Power Co. (Phase 1)
  • Vicinity Castle Plaza

Saving With Solar Interview with Power Ledger

We had a chat to Power Ledger about the exciting second phase of their renewable energy trading scheme

With ~50k transactions per month currently, what’s the target for 2020?
Power Ledger intends to double the number of participants in the second phase of the trial.

How many trial partners will be involved in stage 2?
In the second phase of the trial we continued to partner with Synergy, Western Power, Curtin University and EnergyOS 
 
Any info on the ‘additional pricing models’ in stage 2? 
The pricing model for stage 2 is similar to stage 1, with some minor tweaks. The partners will be organising workshops and surveying participant to learn more about pricing models. 
 
How much of the trading is automated so the prosumers don’t have to do much?
All the trading is automated. in this deployment however, participants have the option to set their preferred buy and sell prices for peer to peer energy. They can be as active as optimising their prices and trading on a half hourly basis. Alternatively they could go in the platform and set and forget their prices they are happy with.

VPP 2.0 (Virtual Power Plants 2.0)

According to a roadmap for Power Ledger released on Medium last year, the goal is to enact VPP 2.00 – which will allow a lot of options for households who want to trade solar. It also factors in ideas for a two-way electricity grid and options for households to assist the grid – be that through capacity, frequency control, or voltage support.  

We see VPP 2.0, or Virtual Power Plants 2.0, as a natural extension of our peer-to-peer functionality, tying all our other products together. xGrid will evolve into an optimized model of a virtual power plant, to create a conduit for the transaction of value between the owners of distributed energy resources and multiple counterparties.

Self-executing smart contracts will integrate with physical switches in the network, creating an autonomous power market with secure value transfer between consumers, energy markets and networks. For example, a household with solar may normally be trading energy in a P2P market, until they are offered a higher rate by the network to provide capacity, frequency control, or voltage support.

Power Ledger extend Solar Trading Trial to Stage 2. (source: Power Ledger)
Power Ledger extend Solar Trading Trial to Stage 2. (source: Power Ledger)
 
 

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The Planetary Society’s LightSail 2 Solar Satellite

The Planetary Society have launched a solar satellite which has been named the Lightsail 2. The solar sailing Cubesat device will be in orbit for the rest of August. Let’s learn more about the solar sailing technology and what the Planetary Society hope to achieve with the launch of this fascinating new piece of technology! 

The Planetary Society’s LightSail 2 Solar Satellite

The Planetary Society’s LightSail 2 Solar Satellite (source: planetary.org)

The concept of ‘solar sailing’ means that an object will be moved by photons escaping the sun’s gravitational pull. According to Popular Mechanics, It’s the second ever solar sailing object to fly – with the solar satellite following IKAROS (Interplanetary Kite-craft Accelerated by Radiation Of the Sun) from Japan, which launched in 2010. IKAROS certainly has the cooler name, but the LightSail 2 has some superior technology – an aluminzed (a coating of aluminum alloy) Mylar sail and far better uptime.

“For The Planetary Society, this moment has been decades in the making,” said Planetary Society CEO Bill Nye. “Carl Sagan talked about solar sailing when I was in his class in 1977. But the idea goes back at least to 1607, when Johannes Kepler noticed that comet tails must be created by energy from the sun. The LightSail 2 mission is a game-changer for spaceflight and advancing space exploration.”

“We’re thrilled to announce mission success for LightSail 2,” LightSail program manager and Planetary Society chief scientist Bruce Betts said. “Our criteria was to demonstrate controlled solar sailing in a CubeSat by changing the spacecraft’s orbit using only the light pressure of the sun, something that’s never been done before. I’m enormously proud of this team. It’s been a long road and we did it.”

If you’re interest in reading more, the Planetary Society have created a site named Mission Control where you’re able to track the LightSail 2 in space. To visit Mission Control please click here

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