A shopping centre in Northam, Western Australia, has become the latest in the country to install a solar car park, with the 665kW facility unveiled this week as part of a major overhaul of the Northam Boulevard Shopping Centre, that will generated nearly half of the centre’s energy needs.

The former head of Australia’s most notorious brown coal generator – the soon-to-be-retired Hazelwood plant – says solar PV and battery storage already represent a cheaper alternative to gas-fired generation.

Installing solar panels is about to become even more attractive in the Australian state of Victoria – and existing solar owners also have cause for celebration.

POWER prices are on their way up so it is time to follow the Prime Minister’s lead and install solar panels on your roof?