There is a new solar neighbourhood bulk buying group in Melbourne.
Anyone can apply-including anyone who has applied for the $8000 goverment rebates plus anyone who missed out. Businesses and schools can also apply.
Their prices are very competitive but also focus on high quality inverters/ panels.
Contact:
solarmates@live.com.au
solarmates@gmail.com
Solar Neighbourhood Bulk Buying-Melbourne
(6 posts) (4 voices)-
James B
MemberPosted Thursday 10 Sep 2009 @ 2:30:04 pm from IP # -
Hopefully our prices will get down to US levels.
Latest Homepower mag adverts show US$1.98 - US$2.98 per watt. That's A$2.30 - A$3.45
A massive difference when you look at our prices, makes you wonder.
Posted Thursday 10 Sep 2009 @ 11:32:16 pm from IP # -
Greenozi
MemberThat is great news Rockabye. And there much more to come. Sunrgi of California promise 1kwh for 5c next year.
http://solveclimate.com/blog/20080519/sunrgi-makes-cheapest-solar-promise-ever-5-cents-kilowatt-hour-1-year
But good news for one is not so much for another. There is reason way
-This is death sentence for coal industry. At this price level solar may compete with oil and coal directly. One more technological breakthrough/progress - that is still possible with solar but not with coal and this is out of question. All coal plants go to scrap yard and that is good news
-Chinese may stop buying our coal, since they are the world leader as solar PV manufacturer bad news
for our workers and commodity driven economy
-How do the proud owner of 2kW solar panel on the roof, after spending $30.000 on credit card feels knowing that his investment is worth now $500 (read this article on this ATA forum in few years to prove me wrong)
-since we have as much such commodity as sun and we have coal (Chinese don’t have either) shouldn’t we invest rather commercial not boutique solar plants? Good news for future, somebody in government later or sooner will come to same conclusion.
GreenoziPosted Friday 11 Sep 2009 @ 1:41:14 am from IP # -
China has no shortage of coal, they just prefer to use our reserves first.
Of the three fossil fuels coal has the most widely distributed reserves; coal is mined in over 100 countries, and on all continents except Antarctica. The largest reserves are found in the USA, Russia, Australia, China, India and South Africa.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal#World_coal_reserves
They would have plenty of sunshine also. That's why they are running flat out making solar pv and installing wind power. Meanwhile we are asleep at the wheel. See below.
More impressively, wind power industry statistics show that by the end of 2008 China's total installed base of wind power production will have already reached 10 GW, two years ahead of the revised plan. Some experts are estimating that by 2010, the total installed capacity for wind power generation in China will reach 20 GW and that by 2020 China's installed base of wind power will total 100 GW.
Posted Friday 11 Sep 2009 @ 3:05:30 am from IP # -
Greenozi
MemberGood point Rockaby. Let see what is wind turbine made of and why Chinese can do but we can't. 95% will be steel (mast, generator body, gears), 0.5% copper, some resin, 4 % concrete. Right, we have to send all iron and copper ore and there is not enough left to build turbine here? Or attitude difference they think cheaper is better we just opposite - wind versus solar PV? Not enough room on the land to put few towers up? Manpower? ALL Chinese are busy already we have some free hands released from bankrupted automotive industry with just right skills. Can we crank out a few more wind turbines by 2020 then?
GreenoziPosted Friday 11 Sep 2009 @ 3:30:58 am from IP # -
Sunshine
MemberGreenozi
I doubt a 2kW solar PV system will cost $500 to supply and install in a few years time!
Just the labour cost alone to install is more than $500, let alone the equipment!
Sure, prices are coming down but are in the range of 5% or so (or less) per year over the last 10 years.There are quite a few wind power projects installed and new ones planned in Australia. Quite a few articles below. Obviously, more is always welcome, same with solar PV.
See links below.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2009/08/11/2652900.htm
http://www.wind-power.com.au/Projects/index.aspI don't believe there is a shortage of steel in Australia, it's more a case of finding enough suitable sites near existing electrical transmission infrastructure and finding capital funds to build them.
Posted Friday 11 Sep 2009 @ 7:22:56 am from IP #
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