Armada Solar
Armada Solar was an Australian energy efficiency company based in Canberra.[1] The company was created to capitalize on the ACT Government on the feed in tariff scheme.[2][3]
History[edit]
Armada Solar was founded in 2007. Director Justin Ryan advised the ACT Government on the feed in tariff scheme.[4][5][6] In 2009 it partnered with Sunpower to install the first 30 kW solar electricity installation in Canberra at Bunnings in Belconnen. The company installed more than 1000 rooftop solar arrays between 2007 and 2015.[7] During this time Ryan was frequently quoted and interviewed in the media about solar energy and the tariff system.[8]
After the Australian government closed down its feed-in tariff in 2011,[9] Armada Solar began to struggle financially. In spite of this, the company partnered with Australia's National Information and Communications Technology Research Centre of Excellence in 2013 to develop methods of forecasting output from solar arrays.
Liquidation[edit]
In February 2015, Armada Solar went into liquidation, leaving customers who had paid deposits with cumulative losses of about $1.8 million.[10][11] Until that time it was the oldest solar power installation company in Canberra.[12][13]
Other solar panel installation companies hired many of Armada Solar's installers as the ActewAGL solar buyback scheme ended,[14][15] creating another boom and bust.[16] Director Justin Ryan wrote an article for the Canberra Times about the effects of the ups and downs of the solar industry.[17]
References[edit]
- ^ "Solar credits beneficial". by Rebecca Thistleton. The Chronicle. 16 June 2009.
- ^ "Rooftops luring investors: solar industry" by Bianca Hall. The Canberra Times. 15 July 2011.
- ^ "Canberrans Warm to New Solar Energy Law". Alternative Energy, July 17, 2007.
- ^ "Capital's solar buyback slashed" by Megan Doherty. 13 June 2013.
- ^ "Advisor warns of solar circus by Phillip Thomson". The Canberra Times. 29 May 2011.
- ^ "Ainsli plugs into solar power". Anglican News, April 2009, page 9.
- ^ "Canberra rooftop energy company, Armada Solar, collapses". February 3, 2015Kirsten Lawson, The Canberra Times.
- ^ "A day in the sun with the solar industry". Triple J, 18/08/2009, reporter: John Barrington
- ^ " Rooftop solar connection numbers tipped to slide by 60 per cent in ACT"
- ^ "Armada Solar deposits lost, liquidator says". February 4, 2015. Kirsten Lawson, The Canberra Times.
- ^ "ACT Solar-coaster derailment leaves $1.8m in creditors" Archived 20 March 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Energy Business News, February 6, 2015
- ^ "Canberra solar panel company Armada Solar goes broke amid concerns over state of industry". ABC News By Ewan Gilbert. 2 Feb 2015
- ^ "Calls for feed-in tariff inquiry following collapse of Canberra solar company Armada Solar". ABC News, February 3, 2015
- ^ Rate deadline burning issue for solar buyers by Megan Doherty. The Canberra Times. 28 June 2013.
- ^ Household solar scheme closes ABC News. 3 June 2011.
- ^ Installers rush on tighter solar decline by Megan Doherty. The Canberra Times. 21 June 2013.
- ^ Solar buy-back in the spotlight by Justin Ryan. The Canberra Times. 15 June 2011.