Many models of solar panel come with a 25-year warranty, which may lead you to believe that they’ll “live” for 25 years. The reality is you’re your solar panels’ lifespan could be much longer, sometimes up to 50 years. However, the efficiency of your solar panels will fall over time, so those vintage 1970s solar…
DetailsAustralia installed its highest-ever number of rooftop solar panels last year, according to Clean Energy Regulator data analysed by Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO. The CER’s data shows that in 2020, more than 362,000 rooftop PV systems received small-scale renewable energy scheme certificates (STCs) under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme. This number represents an increase…
DetailsIf you’re a Queensland electricity customer, you may have heard about a new charge finding its way onto your power bill. While it’s not applicable to everyone yet, the new Demand Tariff or Demand Charge is something we can expect more of in the future. Commercial customers have been familiar with this for quite some…
DetailsA research team at the University of South Australia have designed a ground-breaking device that uses solar evaporation to turn dirty or contaminated water into safe, clean drinking water. Associate Professor Haolan Xu and his team, together with the University of South Australia’s Future Industries Institute, developed the fin-shaped solar evaporator to help to solve…
DetailsWe recently completed a very challenging SolarEdge solar installation at the new Foundation Place / Sun Central in Maroochydore. Our client was very pleased with the outcome and the years of energy savings to come.
The Queensland state government made a big announcement at the end of March about its plans for renewable energy. The Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, has revealed that the state will be trialling five new solar battery storage sites. Palaszczuk said that the five sites, which will all be connected to the network, are to be at…
DetailsHalcol Energy has just surpassed a significant milestone, completing 7000 solar system installations throughout South East Queensland and beyond. Born in 2010, Halcol Energy has become one of the most trusted solar energy companies in Queensland, thanks to their commitment to honest, genuine customer service. Few companies can boast a more impressive installation record in…
DetailsAustralian government data reveals that more than 2,000,000 Australian homes were using renewable energy in 2020 as solar and wind power gains record levels of traction. This uptick happened despite the economic turbulence caused by the covid-19 pandemic. The Clean Energy Regulator (CER) estimates that Australia installed a record-breaking 7GW of new renewables capacity in…
DetailsWe all know that silicon and tin are two of the major ingredients in many solar panels and while they’re useful and ever more efficient at converting sunlight into electricity, they’re not particularly appetising. It seems, however, according to researchers at the East China Normal University in Shanghai that a dash of spice makes solar…
DetailsEconomic Development Queensland (EDQ) has designated two under-construction housing developments in Greater Brisbane as 100% solar and storage communities. The Carseldine Village and Songbird Estate in Oxley, a Brisbane suburb 11km from the CBD, are under construction now and once completed, the developments will integrate bushland, elder-care facilities, childcare centres and sports areas. Reaching the…
DetailsHalcol Energy has recently been recognised by solar energy consultants Sunwiz as a Top 10 solar installer in Queensland. Sunwiz are one of the leading resources when it comes to solar energy in Australia, so this recognition is extremely well received. While we don’t do what we do for the pats on the back, it’s…
DetailsEconomic Development Queensland (EDQ) announced that it’s forged a landmark deal with electric car and clean energy giant Tesla to use its batteries in a huge sustainability community project. This initiative is aiming to establish Australia’s first government-backed 100% solar and battery-powered community. Oxley in Brisbane is the lucky suburb The site of this initiative…
DetailsWe recently took the opportunity to catch up with high school chaplain Stu and Mea Cran, the winners of our Solar System Giveaway in December. As part of our 10 year anniversary celebrations, we had asked for your nominations, looking for a deserving cause, person or charity. We had over 100 candidates put forward, but…
DetailsToday, we’re sitting down with Halcol Energy owner and director, Andy Colley. As we celebrate 10 years of Halcol Energy, we thought it was a great chance to talk to Andy about what’s changed in the last decade, what motivates him, and what we can expect from the next decade and beyond! Hi Andy, firstly,…
DetailsGerman solar battery maker sonnen says it’s expecting to grow in line with its core market over the next few years. The company, owned by Royal Dutch Shell, believes that its rapid growth over the last two or three years is due to consumers increasingly choosing renewables power over fossil fuel power. sonnen’s new chief…
DetailsWe recently completed a complex 100kW commercial solar installation at the new multi-level car park in Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast. The project was especially challenging due to the wind loadings, the frame and the number of panels that had to be installed. We used 224 solar panels – the latest 440w Canadian Solar Panels,…
DetailsBusiness accelerator and advisory company Energy Estate recently unveiled plans for what it calls a “campus-scale” renewable hydrogen energy plant in Queensland. This plant, says Energy Estate, will provide power for a college, a golf course and buses in the state. Energy Estate has partnered with Hills International College to develop and build the plant,…
DetailsStudents and staff in Queensland schools faced a scorching end to the term last year because their new aircon units can’t be turned on until the school electricity networks are upgraded. This news couldn’t have come at a worse time, as December saw the start of a long heatwave. The QLD government’s aircon programme falls…
DetailsLast November, Tasmanian energy minister Guy Barnett declared that the state had joined a select number of jurisdictions that can call themselves 100% renewable-powered. Barnett credited Tasmania’s various wind and hydro projects for driving the state’s transition to renewables. Taz has always been a bit green Tasmania has had a long track record of having…
DetailsSolar and wind power ousting fossil fuel power generation has done more to cut Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions than covid-19, according to a recent analysis by energy consultant Hugh Saddler. Renewable energy’s market share crossed the 25% mark – 26.5% – across the five states in the 12 months up to October 2020, which is…
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