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January 26 is the day when we get to celebrate what makes Australia great. Our country’s national holiday marks the arrival of the First Fleet of British Ships at New Holland (Australia before it was so named) all the way back in 1788. ‘Australia Day’ wasn’t recognised until many years later, with records of celebrations taking place in 1808. It took more than another 100 years in 1935 until all Australian states and territories used the term and astonishingly, it was not until 1994 that Jan 26 was universally accepted as a public holiday by all states and territories. As a wholly Australian

We all know the weather is changing. Extreme conditions – from blistering heat and wild winds, to freezing cold and flooding seems to be occurring more than ever. You know that global warming has a lot to do with it, and though you care, you might also feel a little frustrated or powerless about making a change. What can one person do to help save the planet? Actually, quite a lot... We’ve compiled a list of pollution-punching, emission-crunching techniques you can start doing today to help ensure we’ve still got a planet to call home, tomorrow. 1. Support Green Businesses and Products You

Here’s an interesting fact: If you’d installed a Solargain system in January this year, you could have saved over $1500 in electricity bills by now* – just 11 months! The city you live in, weather conditions and your energy retailer agreement all affect this number – but the point is there are clear benefits of switching to solar, particularly over a lifetime. An average Solargain system that’s regularly maintained can easily last over 15 years; with the panels expected to endure for 20+. However, working out annual savings is not as simple as multiplying $1500 by 20. Lifetime savings from

The upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference to be held in Paris in November is a big deal. The conference may very well set the course for the reversal of our planet’s current climate problems, or worryingly, it could lead to our world’s continued decline. Starting on November 30 and ending December 11, the Conference will attract high-level representatives from more than 190 nations in hopes that a new global agreement on climate change, including targets to reduce greenhouse gases, will be reached. Why is Paris especially important? Nations coming together to discuss environmental

Solar power has undoubtedly developed in leaps and bounds from nothing more than a futuristic sci-fi concept, to not only a viable energy source, but Australia’s preferred energy source. As we enter an important new era in solar power’s history, it’s more important than ever to remember just how far solar power has come. Our timeline below highlights some of the most momentous achievements in the history of solar power, right back to the discovery of the photovoltaic effect in 1839. 1839 - Discovery of the Solar Photovoltaic Effect In 1839, a French physicist named Edmond Becquerel, only 19

Australia Still Prefers Solar Energy! Australians want more solar energy, less coal and the vast majority think global warming should be taken more seriously – these are the most significant findings from The Climate Institute’s annual Climate of the Nation Review. Each year for almost a decade, The Climate Institute has produced the Climate of the Nation Review. It surveys more than 1000 respondents to determine the country’s mood in regards to climate change and our attitude towards energy production. According to The Climate Institute Chief Executive John Connor, this year’s results

Contributing less to pollution and more to sustainability are great reasons to buy a solar energy system. And let’s face it, seeing a return on your investment is a pretty nice incentive too. But how quickly can solar panels pay themselves off and how do you work it out? Let’s find out. To calculate your return on investment, there’s four main things your need to know: The cost of energy How much energy your prospective solar power system produces The cost of your system How much solar energy you produce will be consumed by your home – or more specifically, how much you will be sending to the

Australia’s energy sector is undergoing a revolution. For too long, fossil fuels have been the heavy hitters of energy production. Thankfully (and not a second too soon), team renewables has entered the fray with solar power as a key weapon. Importantly, the revolution has been consumer-driven. And with technology very much in tune with the energy-saving desires of the people, solar power is flourishing in Australia, even despite the recent tumultuousness caused by Tony Abbott slashing the Renewable Energy Target. Most homeowners today have the power of choice – that is, the choice of where

How An American Start-up Plans to Supply Solar Power to Those Without Panels For a small amount of people, solar panels just aren’t a viable option. They might be renting in a high rise. Or perhaps they live in an area where their roof is completely covered by shade. And while they would love to be creating their own clean, renewable solar energy each day, their living situation means that it’s not an option. But what if they could share solar energy with the panel-fitted home across the street? That’s exactly the idea American start up Yeloha have come up with. They’re looking to share the

How An American Start-up Plans to Supply Solar Power to Those Without Panels For a small amount of people, solar panels just aren’t a viable option. They might be renting in a high rise. Or perhaps they live in an area where their roof is completely covered by shade. And while they would love to be creating their own clean, renewable solar energy each day, their living situation means that it’s not an option. But what if they could share solar energy with the panel-fitted home across the street? That’s exactly the idea American start up Yeloha have come up with. They’re looking to share the

Let’s face it. Us humans are more or less a short-term focused bunch. Our biases point us towards the present. It’s in our nature. When given the choice of receiving $1,000 right now or $1,500 over five years, we’ll often take the former (even when it’s in our best interest to choose the latter). That’s why, despite solar power’s long list of well-known benefits, up-front installation costs can be a deterrent for customers considering solar power installation. Australia has more than 5 million solar power system owners and counting. But if you haven’t yet made the switch, it might be because

Finally… a deal over Australia’s renewable energy target has been reached. Nearly two years after the Abbott Government first decided they wanted to reduce the RET, a bipartisan target has been agreed upon. The renewable energy industry can now move forward with more clarity, certainty and confidence. While many renewable energy companies will agree that so much more can still be done to ensure a successful, sustainable future, a definitive RET provides a more helpful vision of the playing field for businesses and investors alike. The New RET After the 2013 election and RET review that soon