Hi everyone,
 
A Tesla Virtual Power Plant (VPP) participant told us he noticed a big upswing in the number of charge/discharge cycles his battery was experiencing as a result of  the Victoria-South Australia interconnector being out of action following storm damage. Find out more.
 
Australia's Chief Scientist, Dr. Alan Finkel, says Australia needs to hugely expand gas-fired electricity generation and produce vast amounts of hydrogen. Here's why that's unlikely to happen.
 
In other news, the novel coronavirus situation has been putting pressure on solar panel supply in Australia, there's a solar power myth that refuses to die and we look at the top ten solar panel manufacturers in terms of global shipments in 2019.
 
More on these and other stories 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

Heywood Interconnector Failure Hammers SA Battery Owners On Tesla VPP
It looks like some Tesla Powerwall owners taking part in South Australia’s Virtual Power Plant (VPP) project had a rather interesting time while SA was isolated from other NEM states.
 
Has Chief Scientist Alan Finkel Got It Wrong On Hydrogen And Natural Gas?
On Wednesday last week Australia’s Chief Scientist, Alan Finkel, gave a talk on Australia’s energy future at the National Press Club. While there’s no doubt Australia’s Chief Scientist is a smart cookie, I think a couple of predictions he made are fairly obviously wrong.

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

Climate Emergency Declared By City of Stonnington
At a council meeting yesterday, Victoria’s City of Stonnington joined 89 other Australian local governments to have declared a climate emergency. 
 
Daintree Microgrid Project Feasibility Study “On Track”
A feasibility study for a proposed solar-based microgrid project in Queensland’s Daintree region will be completed and delivered on time says Federal Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch.
 
The Solar Panel Myth That Just Won’t Die – Energy Payback
Just when you think it’s finally dead and buried, the myth of solar power system energy payback arises like a zombie from a B-grade horror movie. 
 
Goulburn Valley Water Solar Power Rollout Progress
Victoria’s Goulburn Valley Water’s PV project is well under way, with thousands of solar panels already installed and more than a thousand modules yet to be.
 
Inner West Council Wants To Boost Region’s Solar 1,000%
Sydney’s Inner West Council is aiming to increase solar installations on residential, commercial, industrial and community buildings within its boundaries in a very big way.
 
OZ Minerals Eyes Renewables For Billion Dollar Mining Project
OZ Minerals says renewable energy could help power its proposed West Musgrave copper and nickel project in Western Australia.
 
Top 10 Solar Panel Manufacturers In 2019 (Shipments)
There were no big surprises in GlobalData’s top ten list of solar panel manufacturers for global shipments last year, but capacity shipped among the big players grew significantly.
 
Global Energy CO2 Emissions Stabilised In 2019: IEA
Global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions stabilised last year according to the International Energy Agency. The IEA hopes it’s not just another pause in growth.
 
Coronavirus Pressure On Solar Panel Supply In Australia
As the human toll from the novel coronavirus climbs, so too has the impact on manufacturing – including solar component supplies.
  
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!

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 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 | Installers 
 
Pick up some tips on writing a review.

USEFUL SOLAR INFO

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.
 
NEW! 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.
 
NEW! 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.