Energy prices crash as Queensland solar takes hold : Renew Economy

Energy prices crash as Queensland solar takes hold : Renew Economy: "Energy prices crash as Queensland solar takes hold"

Wholesale electricity prices this week in Queensland have fallen below $30/MWh – see graph below – far below the levels of other states as mild weather and sunny condition reduced demand and generated a large amount of solar electricity.
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The fall in energy prices came as Abbott blamed renewable energy for lifting retail electricity bills. On Tuesday, Queensland electricity prices did indeed rise 18 per cent, but this was almost entirely the result of soaring network costs and rising gas prices. The impact of renewable energy on retail prices actually fell.

Abbott’s comments came despite the conclusion of his own hand-picked modellers, ACIL Allen, which said the renewable energy target would lower consumer bills over the medium to long term.

This confirms conclusions reached by other analysis, despite the fact that the numbers dialled into the modeling by ACIL Allen were “fossil fuel” friendly and did not reflect the real cost of renewables.

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This graph of Queensland demand and prices on Monday and Tuesday from the Australian Energy Market Operator illustrates the problem for coal and gas generators. The middle of the day was when the fossil fuel generators used to generate most revenue, because demand was highest. Now, demand eases dramatically, as this graph shows. Demand is in the green, while the wholesale price in is the red line.

Read the full article

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Which Solar Panels Are The Most Efficient?

Which Solar Panels Are The Most Efficient?
One answer is given in this brilliant overview:

However, ist is questionable whether this is relevat for you.
Skip the focus on hypotheticals and irrelevant superlatives. Forget about what the “most efficient solar panels” are. 
Why?
Check it out on this excellent web site!

Abengoa mulls 20MW solar tower + storage plant in WA : Renew Economy

Abengoa mulls 20MW solar tower + storage plant in WA : Renew Economy

Already proposed for a long time by the Greens something is finally happening with the help of Spain-based renewable energy giant Abengoa. The company has secured $450,000 in funds from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency to conduct a feasibility study for the project, which would be connected to the South West Interconnected System (SWIS), and could offset expensive grid upgrades, and avoid the cost of transporting expensive fossil fuels.
Just in time, regarding the wrecking ball that is swinging in Canberra.

The WA Government considers power bill change - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

PV as scapegoat for losses from poles and wires

In 2009 Western Power published their proposal for a "Bi-directional Reference Service and Associated Tariff" which then already targeted Households with solar PV to pay for losses incurred by peak power demand - in vain. This proposal had to be published for public comment and - despite its complicated architecture trying to hide the true intent - in the end wasn't put into practice after strong opposition.

This time it isn't that clandestine an approach, the Barnett government is growing bolder. On ABC TV news on one hand the "Energy Minister Mike Nahan says changes to the way household energy costs are structured will not result in higher prices.", on the other hand they state that "rapid increase in the number of households installing rooftop solar panels has contributed to a drop in energy consumption and a revenue shortfall for state-owned power companies.

So the State Government is considering changing the way West Australians are charged for energy use, to protect the long-term viability of the state-owned power grid."

"What we would do is [reduce] the user charge and increase the fixed price," he said.

This means that PV households - which are still connected to the grid but using less power from it than other households - will hardly benefit from a price reduction for the use of electricity and instead will be forced to pay more for poles and wires. They had invested 1000's of dollars earlier in PV attempting to becomes less reliable on the grid, to become a bit more self sufficient, to save a dollar or two, and to do their bit on climate change.

Instead of reading the signs of the times by admitting their power policies have failed and need shifting, e.g. by modernising the grid towards a smart grid (in the non-controlling but load balancing sense) and penalising high power usage the state government tries to save their stone-age assets in favour of modernising an industry, protecting everything that looks like, feels like, and smells like mining; trying to lure the unwary voter with low prices for consumption which in turn would encourage even higher consumption, in these times when use of fossil fuels is indicated left, right, and center.

Don't be fooled by the COALition government (aptly named after their favourite industry?!) trying to taint their true intentions with words such as "We are [also] generating less electricity from coal - that is good, that's what we wanted." The libs have never intended this hence their actions towards the opposite direction:

"Dr Nahan says about 2,000 households are applying to install photovoltaics (solar panels) every week and the government must change its charging system to reflect the trend" ... to recoup lost income for the state budget.

Wind to Double and Solar to Triple in 6 Years : Discovery News

Latest prognosis of the conservative International Energy Agency

... is painting a picture stakeholders in the fossul fuel industry can't be liking very much:

"Total renewable electricity generation grew strongly in 2012, increasing by 8.2% from 2011. In absolute terms, global renewable generation in 2012 exceeded the electricity consumption of China. Part of the strength in 2012 growth stemmed from stronger-than-anticipated hydropower production, particularly in China. Yet it also reflected a continued rapid build-out of non-hydro sources, whose generation rose by 16% year-on-year. Among the OECD regions, non-hydro renewable generation was the second largest source of power generation growth in 2012, expanding by 90 TWh. By comparison, gas-fired generation rose by over 150 TWh, while both coal and nuclear declined."

Read the executive summary of the report in full.

With Tony Abbot (Liberals) vowing to scrap the price on carbon and Kevin Rudd (Labour) going half the same way Australian politicians appear to be still trying to buck the worldwide trend ignoring the will of the majority of Australians who in record numbers have installed solar PV on their roofs.
Question remains why the same majority acts as if there are only the aforementioned political parties which do everything to satisfy the billionaires of the country who run the coal mining, fossil fuel power generation, and media industries.

When Big Coal goes solar | Business Spectator

Are they getting the message?

Or is it more sinister and ruthless, in that they see the good in renewables and decide that the quick buck can be made today with fossils which is for others to pay today and tomorrow?

Maybe it doesn't matter, make of it what you want. I believe it will be an advertisement for renewable energy, especially that the old school is not only using but also displaying use of the new school.

For that bit they deserve to be congratulated.

Don't forget to read the full article, very well done on Climate Spectator.

Dyesol Announces 'Quantum Leap' In Dye Solar Cell Efficiency : Renewable Energy News :

In 2010, solid-state DSC performance was at just 5%, but today ...

... the performance that has been achieved is a lot higher: 11.3% at full sun!

While this is still way less than the "normal" panel efficiencies achieved today, it is of particular interest as this technology doesn't rely on being installed as a panel.

"DSC technology is described by the company as "artificial photosynthesis" that uses an electrolyte, a layer of titania and ruthenium dye deposited on glass, metal or polymer substrates."

But it has even more advantages, about which you can read on Energy Matters