Solar Energy in Australia

When visiting Germany in 2010, I was staggered to see solar panels on so many roofs and farms across the country, especially in the rural areas. It put my own country, Australia, to shame. Why?

With plenty of strong sunlight year-round, Australia would presumably be at the forefront of engaging with solar technology early on, right? Especially when the solar cell was invented on these very shores.

Sadly, the answer was no. It wasn’t.

Coal Fired Power Generation in Australia

With its vast swathes of coal and fossil fuels, historically it has been far cheaper and easier for Australia, to mine coal and export surplus abroad, than to explore alternative energy sources.

In fact, around half the Australian economy depends on coal mining. This mammoth industry menas whole towns and cities are built around the economies of coal production and consequently, coal-fired power has been the electrical generation system of choice in Australia.

Yet it comes at a heavy price for the environment and our planet, as most of us already know.

Coal is becoming far less desirable as an energy source and has become a four-letter word in environmental circles. China, our biggest importer, no longer wants coal, as it turns its attention to the free energy source, the sun.

Solar Systems for the Home

At the Home by the Sea, we’ve just installed 17 new-tech Hyundai Solar panels – a 6.6 kW Solar system with a 5kw inverter. Our second home solar system.

Previously, we had 14 panels producing 3.6 kW. Solar system technology has advanced to almost doubled the capacity and efficiency in ten years. When we first installed solar in 2011, it would take 3-5 years to pay back the installation price. Now we will pay it back through savings after the first 18 months!

Saving Trees and Reducing Coal and Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Today, a few weeks after installation, the “you-beaut” app, which is installed with our new solar energy system, tells us we have saved not only 40 trees but have also saved 280 kgs of coal and thus 280 kgs of carbon dioxide from being emitted into the atmosphere.

Amazing. Yay to that!

Rise in Solar Systems Installations in Australia

I do have a reason to celebrate, because last year, more than 1/4 of Australia’s total power generation came from solar power generation, much of it from small-scale homeowners, investing in solar systems to power their houses.

1 in 5 Australian homes now produce energy from solar systems. Yay!

And why not?

When our climate is conducive to solar power generation, almost 365 days a year.

In addition, 76 large-scale wind and solar projects are under construction, “representing more than 8 GW of new capacity and employing over 9000 Australian workers.”[source: cleanenergycouncil.org.au]

This surge in uptake has been boosted by Government rebates and ridiculous hikes in electricity bills for consumers making alternative technology more viable. Ironically, the coal and fossil fuel generation industry is clanging its death knell by trying to maintain its competitive edge by lobbying politicians and raising prices.

Twelve more houses in the street have solar systems compared to last year

Looking around this year in my new suburb, it seems that the figure for home-based solar systems, in Australia, is more likely to be 1 in 2 or 3.

Australia’s home solar power revolution has been nothing short of phenomenal..in 2009, there were just 85,000 solar systems connected to the mains grid in Australia – and Australia’s first solar farm was yet to be built.

Fast forward to 2021 and more than 2.65 million solar panel systems have been installed on rooftops throughout the nation and gigawatts of large scale solar energy projects are in place, being developed or in the pipeline.

In fact, more solar panels have been installed on rooftops of homes in this country than there are people in Australia.

http://www.solarquotes.com.au/australia/

In 2019, the solar industry created over 13,000 new jobs. There is really no reason why certain politicians don’t get fully on board. It is the future energy source.

The table below has a few years of aberrant figures where exponential growth slowed. It correlates with some political decisions of a pro-fossil fuels and anti-renewables leader in Government trying hard to destroy the Solar industry and the renewable targets.

Source: http://www.solarquotes.com.au/australia/

Year	Systems Installed	Running Total
2001	118
2002	251	369
2003	664	1,033
2004	1089	2,122
2005	1406	3,528
2006	1115	4,643
2007	3480	8,123
2008	14,064	22,187
2009	62,916	85,103
2010	198,208	283,311
2011	360,745	644,056
2012	343,320	987,376
2013	200,407	1,187,783
2014	180,139	1,367,922
2015	141,490	1,509,412
2016	132,677	1,642,089
2017	174,761	1,816,850
2018	224,838	2,0416,88
2019	283,952	2,325,861
2020	333,978	2,659,839

This repressed environmentalist is smiling a little more now.

#Weekly Smile

More about Solar Energy

Worldly Wisdom

 No one can climb a tree with no branches

– Finnish proverb

Birch Trees in Helsinki, Finland

What do you think the underlying message says. Does it refer to the support of friends and family that folk find so essential to personal growth and development?

Or, could it refer to the many divergent paths one might consider, or does take throughout life, before we reach our ultimate destination or end goal?

I often find there is profound wisdom in proverbs, sayings and quotes and I marvel at the way they are so succinct in communicating messages, to the reader. Mostly anonymous, they come to us from past generations and from across cultures. They speak of the experiences of lives lived and lessons learned. Quotes, like proverbs, make us think more deeply about something.

.

Nothing is more beautiful and powerful than a smile that has struggled through the tears

~ Demi Lovato (Actress and Singer Song-writer)

Source Credit: http://www.cuded.com

This theme of this week’s  quotes is power, not raw power, but rather that power of the self, as an entity, that power we find within ourselves.

The less effort, the faster and more powerful

you will be

~ Bruce Lee

We have nothing to lose by trusting the infinite power

of the Self, except the bondage of our own ignorance

~ Mata Amritanandamayi Devi

First World Problems

And finally there are these words:

“You have it easily in your power to increase the sum total of this world’s happiness now.

How?

By giving a few words of sincere appreciation to someone who is lonely or discouraged.   Perhaps you will forget tomorrow the kind words you say today, but the recipient may cherish them over a lifetime.”

–Dale Carnegie

Linking to Friendly Friday’s Smiles Challenge

Sharing one’s perspective increases understanding.

Proverbial Friday – Worldly Wisdom

 

Several years ago, I created ‘Proverbial Friday’ on my blog.

I became fascinated with traditional proverbs and sayings, their metaphorical layers and the many different interpretations found within just a few, succinct words. I marveled at their ability to transcend race, religion, opinions and age.

Mostly anonymous, proverbs are a portal through time, to generations past and echo a diverse range of cultures.

They speak of the experiences of many lessons learned and thousands of lives already lived.

They offer us knowledge; knowledge that is passed to us in much the same way relay runners might pass a baton. Once it’s handed over, it is up to us what we do with it and how we pass it on.

Quotes, like proverbs, make us think more deeply about something.

 

 

 

Wherever you go, you can’t get rid of yourself.

 

~Polish proverb

 

Quotes, like proverbs, make us think more deeply about something.

 

“Mistakes are part of life, everyone makes them, everyone regrets them.

But, some learn from them and some end up making them again.

It’s up to you to decide if you’ll use your mistakes to your advantage.”

 

~ Meredith Sapp

 

 

“Negative emotions like loneliness, envy,

and guilt have an important role to play in a happy life;

they’re big, flashing signs that something needs to change.”

 

~ Gretchen Rubin

 

How do you deal with guilty feelings or guilt manipulation from others?

Are you explaining yourself to others? Or are you your own judge?

 

 

 

 

Proverbial Friday – Timeless Wisdom

Several years ago, I created ‘Proverbial Friday’ on my blog.

 

I became fascinated with traditional proverbs and sayings, their metaphorical layers and the many different interpretations found within just a few, succinct words. I marveled at their ability to transcend race, religion, opinions and age.

Mostly anonymous, proverbs are a portal through time, to generations past and echo a diverse range of cultures.

They speak of the experiences of many lessons learned and thousands of lives already lived.

 

They offer us knowledge; knowledge that is passed to us in much the same way relay runners might pass a baton. Once it’s handed over, it is up to us what we do with it and how we pass it on.

 

A bad dancer blames the hem of her skirt.

 

 

You rest the way you have made your bed.

 

~  Polish Proverbs

 

Quotes, like proverbs, make us think more deeply about something.

Something from the Master of Basic Needs, Maslow, for us to ponder over.

 

 

 

“You will either step forward into growth or step back into safety.”

– Maslow

 

 

 

There seems to be an ever – increasing temptation in society to lay blame, as the Polish proverb refers, in the event of something going wrong. We seem to abrogate our responsibility by finding blame, or highlighting those responsible. Can admitting our failures make us appear weak?

An accident can never be as such…..

How are your bed sheets looking? Do you ready to sleep on smooth, orderly bed linen, or bury yourself comfortably in a tangled chaos?

I welcome your thoughts and invite you to join in the discussion, by leaving a comment, on your interpretation of the proverb.

 

And, how do you see Maslow’s quote on safety and growth? 

Can these qualities operate simultaneously or are they oppositional?

Sharing one’s perspective may increase our understanding.

 

Now posting on Fridays

 

Something to Ponder About on Fridays

Proverbial Friday – Timeless Wisdom

 

 

 

Talking comes by nature; silence by wisdom.

Silence has so much meaning.

 

– Native American Indian Proverbs

 

 

 

Whilst thinking about this week’s wisdom, I started to think how often people get upset over others’ remarks. Time and again, people take offence at comments like:

“Don’t you eat a lot.”

Or,

“That’s planning ahead!”

Or,

“We all know you married him for his money.”

These things are often said out of a lack of understanding, jealousy or perhaps, even to get a reaction. They might even be said to incite support for a personal attack on you. Whatever the motive, do you use the wisdom of silence, that the Native American proverb alludes to, or do you contradict, reason or even agree in a good-natured way?

Do you find you have to explain your feelings to others, or justify yourself and your actions?

As the proverb says, silence has so much meaning, and wisdom.

When a relative complains that you are, “always taking holidays,” do you normally argue, or agree with them and say, “yep, I love holidays.”

When someone says, “you sure are wasting money on that jet ski.” Do you start to explain yourself,  get angry, or say, “Yeh, I hate cheap jet skis.”

Do you allow yourself to be upset over people’s remarks?

Only little people make nasty remarks and only little people take offence. Be a big person

– Andrew Matthews

 

 

 

 

I welcome your thoughts and invite you to share your perspective by leaving a comment, on your interpretation of the proverb.

Are the sayings relevant in your life?

Everyone’s opinion is important. What is yours?

Proverbial Friday

 

Even a small mouse has anger

– Native American Indian Proverb

 

 

On a family law practice window:

 

“Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together”

~ Marilyn Monroe

 

I find there to be profound wisdom in proverbs, sayings and quotes and I marvel at the way they are so succinct in communicating messages to the reader.

Mostly anonymous, they come to us from past generations and from across cultures. They speak of the experiences of lives lived and lessons learned.

Quotes, like proverbs, make us think more deeply about something.

 

Lastly, this week, this enigmatic quote:

 

“Anger punishes itself.”

 

When we get irritated with others, it seems easy to sub-consciously blame them for our unhappiness. We think that we’re not happy and it must be their fault. Or perhaps we get to be martyrs thinking – we are okay and they (obviously), are not.

Have we considered that everyone has different temperaments and different priorities, because everyone IS different?

Some people shout and scream, whilst others show little emotion,

some never open up,

some are notoriously late,

some never get excited about anything,

others won’t spend a cent without much thought whilst another is a spendthrift.

The challenge is to respect others enough to allow them to experience life as they choose. We can still enjoy their uniqueness, however different their values might be from our own.

If they are so very different from us, it is a great opportunity to learn something and to appreciate others for who they are. We touched on this in last week’s post, particularly, in the comments section.

Setting aside one’s prejudices is not easy, but to do so can enrich one’s life! Try it for one day/one week/one month!

 

How do you handle people who “get your back up,” or who are so different from yourself?

 

What do you think of Marilyn’s words? Do they speak about modern life?

 

Join in the discussion by leaving a comment.

Everyone’s opinion is important. What is yours?

 

Now posting on Fridays

 

Every Friday, I post a Proverb or Saying and a Quote that I find thought-provoking. I hope you will too.

Proverbial Friday –

Something challenging to Ponder About

 

 

 

Proverbial Friday – Worldly Wisdom

May you taste your words before you spit them out

~ Irish Proverb

Several years ago, I created ‘Proverbial Friday’ on my blog.

I became fascinated with traditional proverbs and sayings, their metaphorical layers and the many different interpretations found within just a few, succinct words. I marveled at their ability to transcend race, religion, opinions and age.

Mostly anonymous, proverbs are a portal through time, to generations past and echo a diverse range of cultures.

They speak of the experiences of many lessons learned and thousands of lives already lived.

They offer us knowledge; knowledge that is passed to us in much the same way relay runners might pass a baton. Once it’s handed over, it is up to us what we do with it and how we pass it on.

Quotes, like proverbs, make us think more deeply about something.

“Good people are found, not changed.”

~ Jim Rohn

Good people, the quote says! Who are they? Folks whose values approximate our own? Is having common values the intangible rope that draws us to certain people?

What makes us shy away from those who are different, or conversely, try to change those who think differently, or act differently to us?

Can we ever really know what past events have shaped an individual’s attitude or values? Even if those values clash with our own, is it still possible to learn something about them, if we can only set aside our prejudices?

Our lives might be richer for being more open.

How can we grow on a personal level, if we stick to just the “good” people and seek a monogamy of values?

Every Friday, I post a Proverb or Saying, as well as a Quote that I find thought-provoking. I invite you to join the discussion by leaving a comment on your own particular interpretation of the proverb.

Everyone’s opinion is important.

Sharing our perspectives increases the possibility for increased understanding.

What do you want to say?

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Proverbial Friday – Something serious to Ponder About

Is Every Day a New Adventure, or Not?

Today we call ourselves developed, as if we have nothing left to learn. But in a hundred years, when people look back at our generation, will they too ask themselves: how did anyone accept that world?

When we look at other life, we say our technology makes us more advanced. Yet all we seem to advance is the destruction of the world surrounding us. You look around and there’s little life to be seen. Most animals we know, we’ve only witnessed on screens.

-Spenser Cathcart

http://theliewelive.blogspot.com.au/

I do like to look at life as an adventure and every day, one filled with new possibilities. We only inhabit this world for a short time, and during that time, society tries to shape us with conformity, first at school and then university or the workplace; I feel this endless drive to make profits, to progress, to move forward,  but just where are we moving forward to?

Is power what really drives our society and our species? Or is the elusive quest for happiness that we all seek?

I could have an existential crisis watching this video, from Spenser Cathcart, but it is powerful stuff that makes one stop and think about mastering the art of living! It poses many provocative questions and issues. Including:

• We are destroying the very environment on which we need to survive.
• Money is a tool used to control us.
  Questioning the real motives of progress in a world where resources are finite.
• The real purpose of conformity and rules.
• The indulgence of feeding 70% of the world’s grain crops to animals that we eat.
• The hypocrisy of acceptance of killing of pigs, cows, chickens as food, whilst the thought of killing or eating dogs or cats barbaric.
• We all want happiness and strive to get a larger house, car, TV, phone, in order to achieve it.  Profit and making money is the inventive to progress. But we become disconnected from the real world once we have it.
• Idolizing celebrity and people we have never met, yet ignoring or dismissing our neighbours.
• Time is slipping through our fingers, but what have we done with it?
  

  ---

We all want happiness, so take the positives from this video:

• The planet will be here whether we, as a species are here or not!
• Value the importance of working together.
  
• Master the art of living.
• Use the internet to bring us together not to separate us from one another.
• Look at life as a new adventure with a unfettered realm of possibilities.
• Stop and smell the roses, and observe.
• Imagine what can be done, not what can’t.

Have you mastered the art of living? Have you developed a purpose? Are you truly happy?

Something to Ponder About