With the close of the biggest solar trade show, Intersolar, we can see that the solar industry around the world is alive and kicking. While numbers may not have been as large as they once have been, the quality of people walking through the exhibition was exceptional. Australia, with all our political uncertainties and short comings, measures up well.

According to Business Spectator, “The Australian solar power sector has a lot going for it.” We have experienced solar incentives that benefit pretty much the whole population and not just big solar farms, we have the right to consume the power that we produce and we do consume around 50% (of a 5kW system’s generation) where others only consumer around 20%. Other countries around the world have not been as lucky as us.

Most importantly, the economics of solar power systems in Australia is good. Even with the premature slashing of solar incentives, it is still an economically viable option to install solar. In fact, it is an extremely wise decision.

If Australia was found to be lacking compared to other countries, it would be in the political department. Our politicians as a whole lack support for renewables and are not pushing for cleaner, greener sources of electricity generation as some other nations are.

Australia has taken a big step forward this week with the Mildura 1.5MW solar plant being completed and commissioned. The solar plant has been built by Silex Solar and has been a long time coming. The plant, in north western Victoria, is now actively feeding power into the grid and can supply around 500 homes. This is hopefully just the start of what is to become one of Australia’s largest concentrating photovoltaic projects.