Hi everyone,
 
Energy Australia's latest offer of a "free" 5.6 kW solar power system plus Tesla Powerwall 2 battery to eligible NSW residents isn't as tempting as it might first appear. Discover why.
 
Over to the regulatory side of solar and there could be headaches on the horizon for installers in South Australia, with the Marshall Government seeking to push through new ill-conceived rules for solar inverters and meters very soon - find out more.
 
On the hardware front, there are couple of new products that will appear in Australia soon - Hyundai’s HiE-S350SG 350 watt shingle cell module and SunPower Maxeon AC solar panels.
 
More news below!
 
Don't forget you can get 3 solar quotes from trusted solar installers at our website - and everyone can also stay in touch with what's happening on SQ via our Facebook page.
 
Regards,

SQ VIEWS

Energy Australia’s Solar Plus Plan: Free Solar & Battery Comes At A High Cost
You’ll save more money if you go to the effort of buying your own, bigger solar power system rather than surrendering your roof’s profits to Energy Australia.Find out why here.
 
SA Government Push Ahead With Ill-Conceived Inverter And Smart Meter Rules
The South Australian Government is sneaking new rules through for solar inverters and meters that will cause serious problems for solar installers in SA..  

THE GOOD SOLAR GUIDE - READ ONLINE FREE!

7 Steps To Tiny Bills For Australian Homeowners - An Amazon Best-Seller!

The Good Solar Guide, authored by SolarQuotes founder Finn Peacock, demystifies the solar buying process in Australia; showing you how many panels you need, which panel brands to buy, which to avoid, and how to find a great installer.

The seven-step process revealed in this book, developed over 10 years in the industry, walks you through understanding, evaluating, buying, installing and using solar to deliver on its promise of tiny electricity bills. Order the book (available in paperback or Kindle) or read the whole book online free! Yes, for free. Crazy eh?

SOLAR NEWS

Colac Community Library Goes Solar
In Victoria, the Colac Community Library and Learning Centre is now reaping the emissions reduction and electricity bill-busting benefits of solar panels.
 
Bifacial Solar Car Park Starts Cranking Clean Electricity
Another solar carpark using an innovative design system and bifacial solar panels has popped up – this one outside the City of Onkaparinga’s Wakefield House at Morphett Vale in Adelaide’s south.
 
ISS Solar Battery Upgrade Nearly Complete
The end of major upgrade work on the International Space Station’s energy storage systems is in sight after successful spacewalks last week.
 
50MW Solar Farm Project Gets Ipswich Council Approval
A proposed $80 million solar farm project for Karrabin recently received the go-ahead from Queensland’s Ipswich City Council.
 
Hyundai 350W “Shingled” Solar Panel Available In Australia Soon
Another interesting new solar panel to watch for in Australia in the months ahead is Hyundai’s HiE-S350SG – a 350 watt shingle cell module designed for the home and commercial market.
 
Enphase Energised Maxeon AC Module Headed For Australia
SunPower spinoff Maxeon Solar Technologies and Enphase Energy have announced a strategic partnership that could see Maxeon AC solar panels on Australia’s shores as early as towards the end of this year.
 
Queensland’s Logan City Council Hits 1MW Solar Capacity
A new solar panel installation on the rooftop of an aquatic centre has taken Logan City Council’s total solar panel capacity to more than 1,000kW. More is on the way.
 
Major Solar Power Plant For McCain Foods Australia
McCain Foods Australia has announced construction of what it says is Australia’s largest “behind-the-meter” renewable energy system at its manufacturing facility in Ballarat, Victoria.
 
Solar Victoria: Door-Knockers Should Stop Immediately
While solar power sales and installations are continuing in Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire, Solar Victoria is taking a particularly dim view of door-to-door sales activity in the state – for pretty obvious reasons.
  
Read more from the blog

POPULAR SOLAR TOOLS

There's a bunch of handy and easy to use tools and calculators on SolarQuotes. You can find a selection of my most popular tools by clicking here.

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!

SUBMIT YOUR SOLAR REVIEW

If you're an Australian solar power system owner and would like to share a review of your solar panels, inverters, battery or installer with other potential Australian PV buyers to assist them in a purchase decision, SolarQuotes is the place to do it!
 
Please note in the case of solar panel and inverter reviews, the equipment should have been installed for at least one year.
 
Submit a review: Panels | Inverters | Batteries | Installers 
 
Pick up some tips on writing a review.

USEFUL SOLAR INFO

NEW! - Solar Battery Reviews
We've kicked off our new battery reviews section with more than 40 manufacturers listed where you can find more information on energy storage companies and read or submit reviews.
 
NEW! - Virtual Power Plant Comparison Table
Find out details of various Virtual Power Plant (VPP) programs on offer in Australia with our regularly updated VPP comparison table. See which VPP might be best for your home or business.
 
NEW! Solar And Battery Calculator
Our  new solar calculator provides you a complete picture of the savings and payback for solar power in Australia - with or without batteries - and it's very simple to use.
 
Solar In Your Location
Our extensive database contains useful information and up-to-date statistics on solar energy for practically every town and suburb in Australia.
 
Compare Electricity Retailers: Solar Feed-In Tariffs & Energy Prices
An easy to use comparison tool enabling you to instantly see which electricity retailers would be cheapest for a typical solar power system owner in your postcode.

Solar Panel Comparison Table
Easily compare solar panels, specifications and their prices side-by-side in our new solar panel comparison table.
 
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?
 
Solar Battery Comparison Table
Discover battery prices and specifications of dozens of energy storage solutions with our solar battery storage comparison table.