We did it!

On Friday, thousands of solar and renewable energy workers, solar owners and supporters rallied at Cabinet Ministers’ offices across the nation, in an unprecedented show of support for the Renewable Energy Target.

I’m writing today with urgent news. The very future of solar and renewables in Australia is at risk as the government tries to take away our right to take control of our energy bills.

SOLAZONE ON THE SUNSHINE COAST: A LOCAL COMPANY PROVIDING LOCAL JOBS AND COMMUNITY BENEFITS

Passionate about solar, Ernest started his own solar business in Melbourne in 1983. In 1988, Ernest moved to the Sunshine Coast, QLD, and opened his second office, where he still lives today.

Canberra may have an image as a laid-back city but a day spent at Parliament House is anything but relaxed, particularly when you’re there to tell the government to protect the Renewable Energy Target and Australia’s solar future.

Close to 500 solar businesses representing 3,700 employees signed a letter calling on the Federal Government to back jobs and investment in the solar industry by maintaining the Renewable Energy Target.

The joint industry letter, coordinated by Solar Citizens and the Australian Solar Council and signed by 470 businesses, was accepted by Palmer United Party Senate Leader Senator Glenn Lazarus at Parliament House on Thursday.

News is rolling in from the hundreds of Cuppa Sunshine events underway around Australia this week. Participants are telling their local MPs and cross bench senators that they want the Renewable Energy Target kept strong.

We’ve heard about Cuppa Sunshine gatherings in parks, homes and workplaces all around Australia.

Here’s a taste of some of the activities...

The Solar Revolution briefers highlight the uptake of solar across the country, by State, Territory and Electorate as of July 2014. Here you can find the uptake of solar in your Electorate!

To find the Solar Briefer for your electorate click on your state:

NSW - VIC - QLD - WA - SA - TAS - ACT - NT

To find the Solar Briefer for your state click here.

Where does your electorate rank compared to others? Click here to download a spreadsheet comparison of all 150 electorates and find out.

Please note: if you're looking for solar briefers #1, produced in July of 2013, please go here. And if you're looking for solar briefers #2, produced in December of 2013, please go here.

Solar Citizens were active at two events in Brisbane this weekend. Here's what Diego Matter, star organiser from the Brisbane team, had to say about what happened...

In January, energy retailer Simply Energy introduced a 14c-a-day levy on Victorian solar users as a blatant grab for money. It is a charge that brings total fixed fees to $400 a year for Simply Energy customers - an extra $51 on top of what non-solar customers pay!

Simply Energy appears to be the first retailer in the country singling out solar users with extra charges in this way. We’ve known it might be coming, and now it’s arrived.

The Solar Citizens tour of capital cities ended on 19 June, when nearly 200 Solar Citizens came together in Melbourne - the final stop of Our Solar At Risk: Public Meetings to Defend Solar.