The recent personal transportation device craze that is “self-balancing electric scooters” – a.k.a. hoverboards, have been all over the news recently, but for the wrong reasons. It seems these new toys, or more specifically the batteries used, have a tendency to unexpectedly catch fire in a range of situations. The fact that there have also […]
Tag: residential
State Feed in Tariffs to End, what happens next?
Next year at about this time, three states will terminate part of their feed-in-tariff programs: • Victoria’s Transitional and Standard Net metering programs end on 31 December 2016, • South Australia’s Customer Group 4 Net metering program ends on 30 September 2016 and • New South Wales $0.60/kWh and $0.20/kWh Solar Bonus Scheme ends on […]
I got 99 problems but a switch ain’t one (ONLY VALID UNTIL DATE OF PUBLISHED)
Correct isolator selection and installation is an extremely important aspect of ensuring PV systems are safe and up to standard. Through the extensive inspection work that GSES has conducted, and feedback from industry, interpreting isolator data sheets can be tricky for many installers. In response to this GSES has increased its focus on isolator selection […]
Utility Scale Solar: Dual Purpose Land Usage Opportunities
Recent months have seen the approval of many landmark developments of utility scale solar farms, such as the 2GW proposal in Bulli Creek, NSW and the 130MW proposal in Clair, QLD. These developments will take up vast amounts of land: the 130MW solar farm will take up 340 hectares of cane sugar fields, and the […]
East West Arrays: Are they worth it?
The current cost of rooftop PV means that it can be cheaper to source your electricity from a rooftop solar system than buy it from the grid. A significant problem with this, however, is that people consume 50%+ of their electricity during the morning and evening when solar systems are not producing, is it possible […]
Emerging Technologies: Perovskite
Over the last 40 years photovoltaic (PV) technology has been steadily increasing in efficiency and decreasing in cost. This has resulted in a booming PV industry where PV research and development have continued to improve the technology. Currently, the primary material used in solar PV cells is crystalline Silicon; however, there are other materials used […]
PV Training challenges & how they affect installations
Since being established in 1998, GSES has focused on assisting the growth of Australian and international PV industries by providing quality training. GSES is recognised for its expertise in providing the training required for grid-connected PV design and install accreditation. In training many electricians and engineers, GSES has identified certain areas that prove to be […]
Solar Power Purchase Agreements
Solar Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) are a financing model that has the potential to transition those operating as suppliers of energy-generating equipment to the role of the more traditional energy retailer. This transition will see solar installers mature commercially to become solar developers. PPAs have been around for many years and are widely used in […]
Microgrid: A solution to the aging grid infrastructure
The business community and consumers are continually expressing their concern regarding climate change, energy security and the increasing price of electricity. Within these scenarios, renewable energy technologies increasingly present themselves as viable alternatives. With the increased penetration of renewable generation sources on the electricity network, the aging grid infrastructure can struggle to cope with the […]
Solar Installations: Where are we going wrong?
Under the Renewable Energy Target (RET) requirements, solar photovoltaic (PV) power systems must be installed to relevant Australian standards and Clean Energy Council (CEC) guidelines in order to receive Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs). To monitor this, the Clean Energy Regulator’s RET inspection program has been running since 2010. Global Sustainable Energy Solutions (GSES) is an […]