Hi everyone,
 
Welcome to another issue of the Solar Quotes weekly newsletter - please feel free to forward it on to others.

As always, it's been an interesting week on the solar scene in Australia and overseas - check out the stories below. 
 
By the way, don't forget you can get 3 solar quotes from trusted solar installers at our website - and you can also stay in touch with what's happening on SQ via our Facebook page.
 
Regards,

SQ VIEWS

A Happy Old Year
Overall 2017 hasn't been such a bad year. In fact, I'd say it's been pretty good in regard to renewable energy, particularly solar power.
 
Double Glass, Glass On Glass, and Bifacial Panels — What The Hell Are They?
Conventional panels have a single glass sheet face, but some manufacturers also make double glass, glass-on-glass and bifacial solar panels. Are they worth it?

SOLAR NEWS

More Solar Road Pilot Projects Completed
Despite the technology’s challenges, the solar roads concept captured the public’s imagination a few years back – and projects have been ongoing. 
 
Australian Solar + Battery Installation Statistics
Late last year, Australia was experiencing somewhat of a frenzy of interest in solar + battery storage. How has that panned out? 
 
UK : Record High For Renewables, Record Low For Coal And Gas
Renewable energy’s share of electricity generation in the UK hit a new Q3 record, while coal and gas based generation experienced a record low. 
 
More Solar To Power Up In Mareeba Shire
Queensland’s Mareeba region will be racking up a bunch of solar panels in the near future after another large-scale PV project was granted the go-ahead last week. 
 
Floating Solar Power Plant For Adelaide Reservoir
A floating solar plant will be installed at a metropolitan reservoir in Adelaide – part of a much larger solar PV rollout announced last week by SA Water. 
 
Renewables Continue To Squeeze Out Coal In Germany
Germany’s Federal Association of the Energy and Water Industry (BDEW) says renewable energy sources are expected to have accounted for more than 36% of gross electricity consumption in the country in 2017.
 
Snowy 2.0 : Technically Feasible, Financially Viable, Very Expensive
Snowy Hydro’s feasibility study on the Snowy 2.0 electricity generation expansion and pumped hydro storage project has been completed. It’s doable says the company, but it won’t be cheap. 
 
STC Demand Expected To Increase In 2018
Given the huge increase in rooftop solar installations in Australia this year, the Clean Energy Regulator expects the small-scale technology percentage to increase in 2018, boosting STC demand. 
 
Wellington Solar Farm Proposal On Public Display
Public feedback has been invited on the development of Wellington Solar Farm, which is proposed for a site approximately 2km north-east of the town of Wellington in New South Wales. 
 
Draft Victorian Solar Feed-In Tariff Decision Published
From the beginning July next year, Victorian solar households and small businesses may receive different feed in tariff rates based on the time of day electricity is exported. 
 
New Solar Subsidy For Canberra’s Low-Income Households
A new program in the ACT is providing financial support to help some low-income households slash their electricity costs through installing solar panels. 
 
Australia Post’s Monster Rooftop Solar Power Installation
Australia Post has announced completion of a $3 million, 2.1MW solar panel system at its parcel sorting facility in Chullora, New South Wales. 
 
Hobart City Council Divesting From Fossil Fuels – Completely
The fossil fuel divestment juggernaut rumbles on, with Hobart City Council announcing it was getting on board in a big way.
 
Read more from the blog

FRESH IS BEST

If you're yet to get 3 obligation-free solar quotes from our network of trusted installers, or perhaps you didn't go ahead on a set of quotes issued previously for whatever reason and still want to install solar, now is a great time to submit for fresh quotes!

USEFUL SOLAR INFO

Solar Power Forecast Tool
We developed this handy tool in collaboration with WeatherZone to help you forecast your solar system's output up to 48 hours ahead. 

Important Mistakes To Avoid In Buying Solar 
Don't become a lost sheep in a field of wolves. Learn about the top 7 mistakes people make when buying solar power systems.

13 Questions To Ask A Solar Company
Before you sign on the dotted line, ensure you have satisfactory answers to these important questions.

Solar Battery Storage Explained
How to buy a solar system with battery storage. Do you need backup functionality or not? How much should you pay, and what batteries are safe and reliable?
 
Compare Solar Feed In Tariffs 
Make sure you are getting a good solar feed in tariff - try this easy to use comparison tool

Solar Battery Comparison Table
Discover battery prices and specifications of dozens of energy storage solutions with our solar battery storage comparison table.