By Emilia Terzon – ABC News – 11 June 2019

Main image: PHOTO: Parts needed to make electric cars could be dug up in the NT. (ABC News: Leah MacLennan)

Electric cars and wind turbines could be pivotal to fuelling the next outback mining boom, with resource companies and start-ups worried Australia is not making the most of a new wave of mining activity across the nation.

As scientist Ray Wooldridge tells it from his laboratory in Pine Creek, two hours south of Darwin, “lithium is one of the flavours of the moment”.

Mr Wooldridge spends his time analysing minerals being dug out of the ground by resource companies, and recently he has been studying a lot of this soft, silvery-white metal.

“It’s pretty substantial. It’s really been building up the last few years,” Mr Wooldridge said.

Lithium is piquing the interest of mining companies due to it being a key component in batteries for renewable energy storage and electric vehicles.

There are no active lithium mines in the Territory but an ASX-listed company is hoping to open the first next year.

In Western Australia, lithium is booming. In the past decade the state has gone from having just one lithium mine to seven, turning Australia into the world’s biggest exporter of the mineral.

And it is not just lithium that has seen this interest, said Gavin Mudd, an associate professor of engineering at RMIT University in Melbourne.

“There’s been an increasing demand for a lot of metals we call critical,” he said.

“That’s been driven by a lot of these rapid changes in technology we’re seeing, whether that be the uptake of renewable energy, energy storage batteries, and this new exponential growth in electric vehicles.

“It’s not boom times yet but certainly we’re seeing an evolution. Some of the traditional elements like coal are being challenged.”

But just like coal mining, many of the elements that are being dug out of the ground in Australia are being exported as a raw product to overseas markets — mostly China.

“Australia has a long history of just shipping out the raw concentrates and material and not taking advantage of value-adding,” Mr Mudd said.

“I think it would be really great to see Australia break that historical trend.”

Australia needs to ‘lift its game’

When it comes to lithium, there are already several processing plants turning the mineral into a more developed chemical to use inside batteries, and another huge one in the works in Western Australia.

But Mr Mudd says Australia is lagging behind when it comes to adding value to other things it is pulling out the ground.

He says the reasons for this are complex, but that China has emerged as a powerplay manufacturer in this sector, which makes it difficult for smaller markets to compete with.

“It’s one of those things where governments need to think longer term than shorter term. We need to realise these industries and sectors could potentially be very, very big,” he said.

“We really have to up our game.”

Companies facing barriers

On the border of WA and the Northern Territory, east of Halls Creek in the Kimberley, one resources company is trying to do just that.

Northern Minerals has been digging up a heavy rare earth dysprosium since 2017, which is used inside permanent magnets in electric vehicles, hybrid cards, wind turbines and even mobile phones.

At the moment, all of the company’s dysprosium is being exported as a raw product.

The company wants to change that by doing separation at a refinery, which would open but its market to South East Asia, Germany and the US.

Yet its director, George Bauk, says they have struggled to get funding and they have also been put off by flagged changes to Federal Government rules about research and development tax incentives.

“One of our problems is the industry is being driven by get to revenue as quick as possible. Dig it up and get it to market ASAP,” he said.

“But we’ve really got to encourage people to go downstream and create the next industry.”

The Resources Minister have been contacted about the flagged changes to research and development tax incentives, which were put on ice earlier this year.

In a statement, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said a Senate committee found that reform was needed with research and development tax incentives.

“We agreed with the committee’s recommendations regarding technical refinements, and that work is underway,” he said.

No site locked in for firm in NT

For the past few years, a start-up company called Energy Renaissance has been pitching to build the first factory in Australia that will turn lithium into batteries specifically suited to the tropics.

The company’s chair, Su McCluskey, says the lithium ion batteries can be used to store power in remote communities, mines, hospitals, aged care homes and for larger-scale electric vehicles like travelators and forklifts.

“We’ve been looking for a number of locations [for our factory] and we’re looking for the most suitable,” she said.

The company was hoping to build that factory in Darwin, but Ms McCluskey says three years after first approaching the NT Government, a site has not yet been locked in.

“We hear all levels of government talk about wanting to be able to support and encourage and provide incentives for start-ups,” Ms McCluskey said.

“We’ve seen first-hand that not only is it challenging in terms of raising the funds and doing the work, it’s also quite challenging navigating across the bureaucratic processes.”

But she is staying positive on the question of Australia capitalising on new opportunities.

“In terms of manufacturing, we’ve seen a whole amount of industries here in the past die or leave Australia. We now have the opportunity with high-tech digital manufacturing to bring that back here,” she said.

NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner said the Government was “very interested in the idea of building batteries” in the Territory but that there was a limit to what support it could offer the company.

“This is one of those ones where it’s almost fallen to commercial negotiations about what the Government would be prepared to buy from that factory,” he said.

“We’re absolutely supportive of a battery factory being built here, but there’s a commercial dispute and I’ve been very clear with the company about the extent to which government would come in and give them taxpayer money.”

Energy Stuff provides a full range of new solar systems which can include battery ready inverters or systems with integrated battery storage. We also provide smart energy management systems which will continue to deliver energy saving benefits into the future. We only use CEC accredited installers and we fully comply with the Victorian Govt. Solar Rebate Program.

For further information call 1300 656 205 or go to our website at https://ongrid.energystuff.com.au/new-solar-system/

By Michael Mazengarb – RenewEconomy – 11 June 2019

The NSW government has quietly cancelled a $50 million program to establish a 200MW virtual power plant, to cover the costs of an election promise to provide interest-free loans to households for solar and batteries.

The now canned Smart Energy for Homes and Businesses program, announced in late 2018, was to provide rebates for households and businesses of up to $1000 to connect household appliances, including batteries and smart air-conditioners, to demand response and virtual power plant systems.

Through the program, the NSW government hoped to gain the ability to control up to 200MW of demand response and virtual power plant systems to manage times of peak demand.

Previous energy minister Don Harwin launched the program in December last year, announcing that the state Coalition government was seeking expressions of interest for providers of demand response and VPP services.

However, in the lead up to the NSW election, the Berejiklian government promised it would provide interest-free loans to up to 300,000 households installing rooftop solar and batteries, dubbed the “Empowering Homes Program.”

The NSW Department of Planning and Environment has now confirmed it will cancel the $50 million demand response and VPP program and use the funds to pay for the interest-free loan program instead.

The Coalition’s election policy costings, published by Parliamentary Budget Office, for the Empowering Homes program showed the government’s intention to re-allocate the $50 million of funding from the Smart Energy for Homes and Businesses program to cover the costs of the interest-free loans.

The policy details were published just five days before the NSW election.

Expressions of interest for the cancelled virtual power plant program closed on 14 December and RenewEconomy understands that applicants have yet to hear any news directly from the NSW government about the future of the program since that time.

The Department indicated that an update would be provided “in early 2019”, but information about the program has since been removed from its website.

Enquiries posed to the office of new energy minister Matt Kean were referred to the Department of Planning and Environment, who confirmed the cancellation of the VPP program.

“No agreements will be entered into under the Smart Energy for Homes and Businesses program, but its funding will still be committed to supporting investment in clean and renewable energy,” a spokesperson told RenewEconomy.

“Expressions of interest received for Smart Energy have been of great value and will inform the development of Empowering Homes.

“The Department appreciates the time and effort put into these EOIs and will be in touch with all interested parties as we finalise details, and to keep them informed of future opportunities.“

NSW Labor energy spokesperson Adam Searle told RenewEconomy that it was troubling that while the Government has announced two different energy policies, that there has been no progress since the election in March.

“They one policy, which they’ve now scraped for a new policy,” Searle said.

“It has been three months since the election, and we have no sign of either of these policies. This is symptomatic of the mess they have made of energy policy in this state”

NSW Greens MLC David Shoebridge said that the shifting of funds was a clear sign that the NSW Government needs to introduce a dedicated target for renewable energy uptake.

“With no state wide renewable target the only thing the State Government has is a series of ad hoc programs, and now one of those appears to be heading to the scrap bin,” Shoebridge said.

“This was a $50 million program that was designed to save additional capital expenditure to meet peak energy demand. This is demand that happens on only a handful of afternoons and evenings a year.”

“We need strong binding state targets and real commitment to programs that will reduce demand and deliver new renewable energy, to save household budgets and the environment.”

Loans of up to $9000 per battery system and up to $14,000 per solar-battery system will be available under the new Empowering Homes program, but it is unclear when the program will be launched, or whether there will be a requirement for system owners to participate in a VPP program.

Reposit Power, who has developed an energy management system that supports the integration of solar and battery systems into virtual power plants, was disappointed to see the cancellation of the NSW Government program, but was hopeful that lessons could be applied to future programs.

“It is sad to see the program being wound down, and we hope the learnings from the program to date can be retained by the NSW Government”, Reposit’s head of business relations Alan Reid said.

“We see consumers getting more involved in managing their energy use and asking more questions of their retailers. Any program that seeks to incentivise increased adoption of innovative technologies by households needs to consider both affordability and greater choice for consumers.”

“It has been heartening to see Governments looking to get on the front foot to support grid management services, which are ultimately to the benefit of both the grid and for consumers”.

The government hopes to support the installation of up to 3,000MWh of storage capacity to be added to the NSW energy system under the Empowering Homes program.

The interest-free loans will only be made available to own-occupier households, and will be means capped for households with combined annual household income of up to $180,000.

The $50 million in funding has been drawn from the NSW government’s $1.4 billion Climate Change Fund.

Energy Stuff specialises in Residential Solar with emphasis on Repairs, Replacements and upgrades. We also provide new systems, battery storage, Small Commercial, Off-Grid systems and smart monitoring systems. Energy Stuff is a Clean Energy Council Member and only uses CEC accredited installers. We fully comply with the Victorian Govt. Solar Rebate Program and we are supporting clients in their applications to the new scheme starting July 1^st 2019.

For further information please call us on 1300 656 205 or go to our website at http://www.energystuff.com.au

 

By Giles Parkinson – RenewEconomy – 4th June 2019

The main lobby group representing Australia’s electricity and gas networks has renewed its push to hit households exporting solar back to the grid with additional grid charges – to the horror of some consumer groups and industry experts.

Energy Networks Australia on Monday circulated an “opinion” piece written last week claiming that the lack of specific network tariffs on solar exports from homes back into the grid amounted to an unfair “ban” on charging.

This relates to a rule, 6.1.4, introduced in 2007 as rooftop solar started to become a thing in the Australian market. It was designed to avoid the double billing of solar power and was consistent with market rules that charges the customer for network usage, not the generator.

But the networks lobby has been keen to have the role reversed as rooftop solar grew far beyond its expectations. It is not the first time a “solar tax” has been canvassed, the main rule maker discussed such an idea back in 2017.

In its latest missive, Is the sun setting on the electricity export charging ban”, the ENA claims that leading consumer groups such as Renew (formerly the Alternative Technology Association and no relation to this publication) and the Total Environment Centre are sympathetic to the idea, quoting a paper they published in December last year.

Not so, say the authors of that report.

They say they argued for a wholesale rethink of market rules, to make them truly “cost reflective”, and insist that, taken in isolation, hitting solar exports with network tariffs is a money grab by the networks, in much the same way as the huge hike in fixed costs that has seen some consumers pay as much as $600 a year for the network, even before they switch the lights on.

“If you have fully cost reflective pricing, then you get rid of the issue,” says Craig Memery, formerly of Renew and now with the Public Interest Advocacy Centre in Sydney, and a contributor to the report.

“But the cost reflective pricing proposals have not been fully implemented. If you put a tax on exports before we have cost reflective pricing on imports, you are putting cart before the horse.

“It has got to be symmetrical. There are times of day where rooftop solar clearly produces a net benefit, so the network need to be prepared to pay people for that benefit. You have got to have nuance,  and that is what the ENA is probably lacking.”

Mark Byrne, from the TEC, also took issue with the ENA’s claims that: “At present some people, often those least able to afford it, end up paying more than those who can take advantage of new and exciting technologies to reduce their bills.”

Byrne says the networks and other groups being encouraged by the networks to pursue such a rule change have done little about this issue.

“If they are genuinely interested in equity, ENA should be focused on improving access to solar and batteries for renters, apartment residents and low income households.

“That’s where the real challenge lies; not in clipping the rooftop solar ticket and sending yet another signal that the the incumbent industry is more interested in maximising revenue than changing its business model.”

Byrne also disputed the ENA’s assertion that solar penetration was causing network problems, and its statement that the only two solutions – apart from charging for exports – were either building more network or banning exports for new solar connections altogether.

“These are not the only options available to networks,” Byrne says. “Others include managing the existing network better (eg by changing the voltage settings in transformers to prevent overvoltage) and communicating with smart inverters to reduce the output during periods of very high demand (as South Australia Power Networks has proposed).

“Finally, there is a flipside to this argument: that if networks want to charge solar households to export to the grid, they need to be prepared to also reward solar owners for the savings they create for networks. As the AEMC recently recognised, rooftop solar can reduce peak demand and support the reliability and security of the system.”

He also noted that SAPN -which operates the network with the highest penetration of rooftop solar in Australia, and likely the world – had priced its extra spending needs for PV related costs from 2020 to 2025 at $36 million. That’s under $20 per year, per customer.

Other experts also pointed to the fact that the ENA’s proposal also ignores the fact that solar households exporting into the grid are paid substantially less by utilities for their exports, and yet these same electrons are then sold to other customers at the normal retail rate, which includes the network charges. Charging the seller for the export would be double counting.

“In effect they are already paying for exporting to the grid (i.e. the substantial difference between what they sell their elec to the retailer for and what the retailer then onsells that electricity for),” says Rob Passey, a solar and regulatory export who is a Postdoctoral Fellow at UNSW’s Faculty of Engineering..

“They are offsetting the spot price, and that is all they are paid for. This ‘need to pay’ argument completely ignores the benefits that distributed PV/batteries is providing in terms of grid support, reduction in wholesale prices and reduction in GHG emissions.”

Muriel Watt, a solar and regulatory expert who works for ITP Renewables, says if customers were charged for exporting their electricity to the grid, then maybe large generators should be too.

“If we go down this route, it has to be applied to large generators sending power down transmission lines as well, otherwise we will be discriminating between large and small generators and customers.

“On the face of it, it would of course encourage batteries and grid defection and hence may be counterproductive with regard to the equity and cross-subsidy argument.”

(Mind you, the networks have also toyed with the idea of compulsory charges for all consumers, including grid defectors).

Byrne also took issue with the ENA’s claims that: “At present some people, often those least able to afford it, end up paying more than those who can take advantage of new and exciting technologies to reduce their bills.”

Byrne says the networks and other groups have done little to deal with this issue.

“If they are genuinely interested in equity, ENA should be focused on improving access to solar and batteries for renters, apartment residents and low income households.

“That’s where the real challenge lies; not in clipping the rooftop solar ticket and sending yet another signal that the the incumbent industry is more interested in maximising revenue than changing its business model.”

Energy Stuff specialises in Residential Solar with emphasis on Repairs, Replacements and upgrades. We also provide new systems, battery storage, Small Commercial, Off-Grid systems and smart monitoring systems. Energy Stuff is a Clean Energy Council Member and only uses CEC accredited installers. We fully comply with the Victorian Govt. Solar Rebate Program and we are supporting clients in their applications to the new scheme starting July 1^st 2019.

For further information please call us on 1300 656 205 or go to our website at http://www.energystuff.com.au

By Marija Maisch – PV Magazine – 28 May 2019

Rebates and zero-interest loans for solar panels, solar hot water systems and batteries account for one of the major spends in Victoria’s 2019/20 budget and come at a cost of $1.3 billion.

The 2019/20 Victorian budget is investing $545 million over five years under its landmark $1.3 billion Solar Homes program. From July, the program will commence rebates for renters and energy storage and interest-free loans, as well as continue rebates for solar panels and solar hot water systems.

Delivering on its election promise, the state government has expanded the scheme to include renters. To access the rebate and interest-free loan, landlords and tenants must agree to share the cost of solar panel installation. Renters will make a 25% contributionthrough a small levy on rent over four years, while the government and landlord will foot the rest of the bill. The scheme aims to provide $82 million in rebates over 10 years with the goal to support 50,000 Victorians who rent their home.

Interest-free loans will allow households to install half price solar without any up-front cost and will be repayable over four years. In terms of battery rebates, the Solar Homes program will provide $40 million to support 10,000 households. A 50% rebate for a solar home battery system will have a maximum value of $4,839 in 2019-20, which is expected to be the price of a typical 11 kWh solar home battery system.

On top of that, the second phase of the Solar Homes program will continue solar panel and solar hot water rebates. Applications for 50% rebates on rooftop solar installations opened mid September, and were capped in April due to immense success of the program.

The introduction of annual caps on the number of rebates for PV arrays, solar hot water applications and battery systems was described as an additional measure to boost safety and ensure an orderly rollout of the program. It built on the government’s decision to make smart inverters mandatory for solar PV installations under the program and introduce safety and industry accreditation requirements for installers and solar retailers.

The Solar Homes program’s ultimate goal is to subsidise the cost of solar panel energy systems, solar hot water systems or battery storage for homes with existing solar panels for 770,000 homes over the next 10 years. With $1.3 billion needed for the full rollout, the program is one of the major spends in this year budget, alongside $3.8 billion plan to build new hospitals, more than $1 billion for schools and a $27.4 billion suburban transport blitz.

Commission to better police energy retailers

The 2019/20 Victorian budget also includes $27.27 million for the Essential Services Commission to ensure that energy companies who try to rip off customers face the consequences. The Commission will get an extra Commissioner, dubbed “an energy cop on the beat”, who will prosecute misbehavior by energy retailers.

Under the government’s Energy Fairness Plan, the civil penalties for retailers who wrongfully disconnect customers will double to $250,000 – making it the highest fine of its type in the nation. Criminal penalties for misleading or deceiving customers are also being upped to $1 million.

“The Energy Fairness Plan also gives the Commission clearer investigatory powers, as well as new powers to monitor and report on the Victorian retail energy market and crack down on retailers doing the wrong thing,” the government states in a release. “The Commission will take action if retailers ignore our ban on ‘win-backs’ – so-called short-term discounts that end up costing customers more in the long run.”

The budget is also investing $48 million in the Power Saving Bonus – where Victorian households receive a $50 payment if they seek out a better electricity deal on Victoria’s Energy Compare website. It is extending the initiative until 30 June 2020.

Under its Delivering for Regional and Rural Victoria Program, the government will make a funding contribution to a 10 MW solar farm for Newstead. This will help transition the town to 100% renewable energy.

Energy Stuff specialises in Residential Solar with emphasis on Repairs, Replacements and upgrades. We also provide new systems, battery storage, Small Commercial, Off-Grid systems and smart monitoring systems. Energy Stuff is a Clean Energy Council Member and only uses CEC accredited installers. We fully comply with the Victorian Govt. Solar Rebate Program and we are supporting clients in their applications to the new scheme starting July 1^st 2019.

For further information please call us on 1300 656 205 or go to our website at http://www.energystuff.com.au

By Stuart Layt – The Sydney Morning Herald – 1 June 2019

Increasing the “energy literacy” of average consumers would benefit the whole country, a Queensland academic argues.

Peta Ashworth, who is the University of Queensland chair in sustainable energy futures, produced a report exploring what people from households to governments understood about where their energy came from.

Professor Ashworth said the majority of people had some stance on whether they supported renewable energy or fossil fuels, but they usually weren’t informed opinions.

“Generally understanding the supply chain of energy – how we get electricity, what happens when you put solar panels on your roof, renewable energy certificates, I don’t think people understand all these things,” she said.

“Sometimes it can be quite confusing. I think people are genuinely interested, especially when they want to make an investment, like buy solar panels for their roof.

“They want to do something for the environment or save money but I think we have a long way to go to understand the ramifications of that.”

Most people were generally supportive of the idea of more sustainable power generation but didn’t understand what needed to be done to make that happen.

“People are concerned, but they don’t want to put a price on the environment right now,” she said.

“Because the cost impacts are felt all the time, I think people can say ‘not in my lifetime’.

“That’s not everyone, there are some people who’ve really been doing their bit to try to reduce their overall footprint, so there’s a mixed bag.”

As an example, Professor Ashworth pointed to people who proactively installed solar panels on their houses but also accepted government rebates to help offset the cost.

She pointed out those rebates functioned as carbon credits companies could purchase from the government to offset their own carbon emissions.

Being aware of that might cause some people to refuse to take the rebate, she said, but on the other side of the debate, more information was needed about the take-up of solar panels more generally.

“The one thing I’m thinking about right now is what happens in 20 years time when all the solar panels on people’s roofs need to be recycled because they’re not putting out power any more,” Professor Ashworth said.

“Are we ready for that transition? Who’s going to pay for it?”

“Everyone’s entitled to their view, but I see my role as a social scientist to give the facts and allow people to make informed decisions.”

The key recommendation from the report is to set up an initial workshop featuring industry and government representatives to figure out the best way to provide the most accurate information on the issue to the public.

Professor Ashworth said the goal was to identify where gaps in knowledge existed and plug them where possible.

“We’ve got to be able to answer those questions, we’ve got to be able to work with communities,” she said.

Energy Stuff specialises in Residential Solar with emphasis on Repairs, Replacements and upgrades. We also provide new systems, battery storage, Small Commercial, Off-Grid systems and smart monitoring systems. Energy Stuff is a Clean Energy Council Member and only uses CEC accredited installers. We fully comply with the Victorian Govt. Solar Rebate Program and we are supporting clients in their applications to the new scheme starting July 1^st 2019.

For further information please call us on 1300 656 205 or go to our website at http://www.energystuff.com.au

By Sophie Vorrath – RenewEconomy – 29 May 2019

The controversial solar rule change governing projects 100kW and over in Queensland has been declared invalid by that state’s Supreme Court, after a legal challenge by a solar farm developer.

The managers of the 35MW Brigalow Solar Farm in the state’s south-east said on Wednesday afternoon that they had succeeded in their challenge to the new regulation, which came into force on May 13, despite a huge industry backlash.

The case was brought by Maryrorough Solar with the support of the Clean Energy Council and other industry heavyweights, against the Electrical Safety (Solar Farms) Amendment Regulation 2019 (Qld). The highly unpopular and rushed through rule required licensed electricians to mount and fix solar panels on projects of 100kW and over.

“The regulation has been declared invalid. It was beyond the regulation-making power in the Electrical Safety Act,” said a statement from Impact Investment Group – the financial backer of the Brigalow project that counts high-powered renewable energy investors among its ranks, including billionaire cleantech supporter Mike Cannon-Brookes.

“The new regulation would have required solar panels to be put in place and fixed by licensed electricians, whereas they can now continue to be installed by trained labourers.”

Lane Crockett – one of Maryrorough Solar’s company’s directors, and the head of renewables for the Mike Cannon-Brookes backed Impact Investment Group – had argued in an affidavit that Brigalow project costs would increase by $2.6 million, and works delayed as around 60 licensed electricians were sourced for the job.

“This decision will help Queensland keep growing a safe, clean and vibrant renewables industry – the cheapest form of new power generation,” said Crockett, in comments on Wednesday.

“We’ll keep working with all stakeholders – including government, investors, industry and the teams building our solar farms, to make the industry even safer and even more successful.”

“Queensland is a key part of the picture for moving Australia to a clean energy system, so we’re looking forward to getting on with safe, efficient construction at the Brigalow Solar Farm, and helping the state meet its renewable energy targets.”

The Clean Energy Council’s Anna Freeman, who has fought the regulation change from the outset, described the ruling as “a victory for common sense,” and added that it was disappointing that it came down to a court challenge.

“Our preference was for a proper consultation process and full consideration of its regulatory impact,” Freeman said. “Mounting and fixing unconnected solar panels to a rail is mechanical work – not electrical work – and we are very pleased the Supreme Court of Queensland has ruled in the industry’s favour.”

Freeman said industry remained committed to working with the government to deliver safety improvements in the solar industry, but with certain conditions.

“The solar industry recognises that safety is paramount, but this new regulation did nothing to improve the safety of workers and was not justified by the government’s own safety data,” she said.

“Any future changes should be formulated in consultation with the industry and all relevant stakeholders, and should be based on evidence. We look forward to working with the Queensland Government to help achieve our shared aims of safely delivering on its 50 per cent renewable energy target by 2030.”

Energy Stuff specialises in Residential Solar with emphasis on Repairs, Replacements and upgrades. We also provide new systems, battery storage, Small Commercial, Off-Grid systems and smart monitoring systems. Energy Stuff is a Clean Energy Council Member and only uses CEC accredited installers. We fully comply with the Victorian Govt. Solar Rebate Program and we are supporting clients in their applications to the new scheme starting July 1^st 2019.

For further information please call us on 1300 656 205 or go to our website at http://www.energystuff.com.au

By Kim Honan – ABC News – 31 May 2019

Feature image: The Macadamia Processing Company has installed a 600kW solar electricity system on the roof of its factory at Alphadale.(Supplied: Macadamia Processing Company).

The world’s largest macadamia processor has turned to solar power in a bid to lower energy costs, lift profitability, and reduce its environmental footprint.

The Macadamia Processing Company (MPC) has installed a 600-kilowatt solar electricity system on the roof of its factory at Alphadale, near Lismore in northern New South Wales.

The 100 per cent grower-owned cooperative has invested close to $1 million in the solar system, which has been registered with the Federal Government’s Clean Energy Regulator as a power station.

MPC’s general manager Steven Lee said they expected a full payback for the project in less than three years.

“The equipment’s got an effective operating life in excess of 20 years, so we’re looking forward to making savings for the life of that project and some pretty significant reduction in energy consumption,” he said.

“We’re generating a peak of around 400 to 450 kilowatts, depending on how bright the day is and where the sun is.

“Unfortunately, we can’t get solar energy during the evening — otherwise it would be great.”

Mr Lee said their new solar system generated around 25 per cent of the plant’s total electricity demand.

“It’s pretty close to supplying all of our energy use during the day, so yes if we’ve got a nice bright sunny day then we’re almost operating free of charge — thanks to the sun,” he said.

Processor investigates other renewable energy options

With a busy macadamia harvest underway, and nut coming in from suppliers across the Northern Rivers and southern Queensland, the factory operates 24 hours a day, six days a week.

“Given we’re consuming all the electricity we generate there’s really no incentive to look at battery storage at the moment,” Mr Lee said.

“But if we were able to come up with other ways to generate electricity then storage would certainly be something that would be of interest.”

While MPC may never run its factories on 100 per cent solar energy it was looking at other technologies to lessen its environmental impact and save money.

“There’s potentially microturbine technology, so by burning waste shell we could generate thermal energy that could potentially be converted to electricity by that technology,” Mr Lee said.

“But that’s something that’s just being investigated at the moment.”

Australian macadamia industry on uneven playing field in global market

Local food processors are feeling the pinch when it comes to rising energy costs, and Mr Lee said switching to solar would help level the playing field with their international competitors.

“We’re operating in an environment where we’re competing with a lot of countries that have lower cost to manufacture their products,” he said.

“We’re looking at every opportunity to reduce our energy input costs, be it gas whereby we introduced a shell-fired boiler to reduce our LPG consumption and also this solar system to reduce our energy consumption.

“We need to make sure that we’re competitive against countries that have lower costs of labour and lower costs of consumption.”

MPC was also considering a solar future for the processing facility it recently acquired in Queensland.

“With us taking 100 per cent ownership of the Pacific Gold Macadamias factory in Bundaberg, one of things we’re investigating up there is the installation of solar to help offset electricity costs of that factory,” Mr Lee said.

“That project’s being assessed at the moment, so if everything stacks up it could be the next six to 12 months.”

Green savings promise greater returns for growers

The energy savings from MPC installing a solar system will result in a greater return for macadamia farmers in NSW and Queensland supplying nut to MPC.

“The efficiency savings will allow us to pay our growers more for their macadamia crop into the future, so it’s a win for us as a business but also a win for our macadamia suppliers,” Mr Lee said.

Lynwood macadamia grower and MPC director Andrew Leslie was fully supportive of the switch to solar and said it was an “excellent move”.

“It runs nearly 80 per cent of the day shift in the factory, that’s running everything which is a huge impact on the environment and a huge impact financially,” he said.

He said the factory also used 100 per cent of the nut with the kernel sold for consumption and the shell waste turned into electricity.

“We use 20 per cent of the shell at the factory for the boilers to run all the heaters and then we sell the remaining 80 per cent of shell to other industry for their boilers and heating set-ups,” Mr Leslie said.

“We use 100 per cent of the product, so how environmentally sustainable is that?”

Macadamia farmers also take sustainable path

Mr Leslie said macadamia farming practices have changed dramatically over the past five years.

“What we do now compared to what we did five to 10 years ago … we’re so much greener now, we’re spraying a lot less, we don’t use tractors when it’s wet or after heavy rain to avoid the impact on the soil,” he said.

“After every harvest run we go through and fix up any problems with the finger wheels so that they’re running a lot more efficiently. So instead of doing two runs, we do one pass so that’s a saving on diesel.”

He said farmers also de-husked their macadamia crop on farm with many using solar systems to reduce energy consumption.

Energy Stuff specialises in Residential Solar with emphasis on Repairs, Replacements and upgrades. We also provide new systems, battery storage, Small Commercial, Off-Grid systems and smart monitoring systems. Energy Stuff is a Clean Energy Council Member and only uses CEC accredited installers. We fully comply with the Victorian Govt. Solar Rebate Program and we are supporting clients in their applications to the new scheme starting July 1^st 2019.

For further information please call us on 1300 656 205 or go to our website at http://www.energystuff.com.au

By Sybilla Gross and Liz Hobday – ABC News – Updated 28 May 2019

The first phase of the Victorian Government’s popular but messy rooftop solar rebate program was never going to satisfy the demand for household solar in the state, according to figures from the national Clean Energy Regulator.

The rebate program provided for an initial allocation of 24,000 households over the nearly 12-month period to the end of the 2018-19 financial year.

In October last year, a government spokesperson told the ABC the 24,000 rebate cap represented “an approximate 25 per cent increase on business as usual”.

But according to monthly reports published by the Clean Energy Regulator, 24,623 Victorian households had already installed rooftop solar systems during the previous eight months from January to August 2018.

On these numbers, the Victorian Government’s scheme was always going to fall short of demand for rooftop solar.

On top of this, the rebate prompted a spike in the number of solar installations, which increased by about two-thirds following the rebate announcement.

When the ABC approached the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning for a response to these findings, a spokesperson said the program was “designed to help Victorians on fixed, low and medium incomes, who may otherwise have struggled to afford solar, significantly cut their cost of living”.

On again, off again rebates

The Andrews Government announced the rebate offer in August last year as part of a $1.3 billion “Solar Homes” package.

Most households with a combined income of below $180,000 were eligible for the scheme, which offered up to $2,225 in rebates for small generation solar units.

Although the program was capped at 24,000, the avalanche of applications pushed the number of rebate approvals to 32,000 before the Government decided to temporarily stop the program last month, with the intention of re-opening it in July.

Solar Victoria last week re-opened the rebates to customers who had already installed panels, but had been locked out of the program after the temporary stop in April.

The Victorian Government expanded “Solar Homes” in the latest budget, providing more rebates and low interest loans for householders, and that will now also include renters.

The program is expected to subsidise rooftop solar, home batteries and solar hot water for 770,000 households in Victoria over the next decade.

The Andrews Government says funding will also be provided in the program for training, safety and quality audits.

‘The disappointment of it’

Allison and John Taylor spent about $4,000 on a rooftop solar system to power their home and family business in Williamstown, in Melbourne’s south-west, in April.

“We’re drawing less from the grid so we’re providing for ourselves a bit. It’s a ‘feel good’ thing,” Ms Taylor said.

They expected the rebate process to be fairly straightforward, but when Mr Taylor went to apply for the rebate to get half of their money back, he found the program had suddenly closed just hours before.

“It’s more just the disappointment of it, not that it would change anything. You would still put panels on,” Mr Taylor said.

With the rebate program now back on track, Mr Taylor said he was going to reapply for the cash he expected to get back the first time around.

‘Solar-coaster’ of government rebates

Melbourne solar retailer Tarak Shah owns one of the many companies affected when the Victorian Government hit the pause button on the solar rebate scheme.

He was forced to let five staff members go from his company, Sunrun Solar, after the temporary rebate freeze left the business with about 10 per cent of the work it had previously.

“It puts a lot pressure on yourself as a business owner, you know, when you have to look after not just yourself, but probably about eight or nine of your employees, plus your installers, their workers, and their families,” Mr Shah told 7.30.

“If they don’t get work, then of course they can’t put dinner on their plate.”

He said government rebates had made business unsustainable long-term, with months of barely any income, followed by surging demand.

“Every time there is a government announcement related to the solar industry, all of a sudden there is a ‘solar coaster’,” Mr Shah said.

“The customers will jump on board, but then as soon as the rebate stops, all those customers will jump off.”

While he supports government incentives, Mr Shah said he wants to see a more sustainable approach to rebates.

“When it comes to having no work for two months because, you know, it’s stopped and there’s a re-opening date on it later, it’s hard for the customers to make that decision to buy now.”

Energy Stuff specialises in Residential Solar with emphasis on Repairs, Replacements and upgrades. We also provide new systems, battery storage, Small Commercial, Off-Grid systems and smart monitoring systems. Energy Stuff is a Clean Energy Council Member and only uses CEC accredited installers. We fully comply with the Victorian Govt. Solar Rebate Program and we are supporting clients in their applications to the new scheme starting July 1^st 2019.

For further information please call us on 1300 656 205 or go to our website at http://www.energystuff.com.au