Researchers at Melbourne’s Deakin University have discovered a novel way to separate, store and transport large amounts of gas. The method, they say, is efficient, affordable and creates no waste – carrying huge implications for the burgeoning green hydrogen industry and for the energy transition at large.

Speaking at the Sydney Energy Forum, leaders from Australia and the US have highlighted the importance of not only transitioning to renewables, but of ensuring the supply chains used to make the technologies do not remain as concentrated as they are today.

US giant General Electric (GE) has signed an agreement with Australia’s Arafura Resources, provisionally agreeing to offtake from the company’s flagship Nolans Project in the Northern Territory, which is aiming to become a major supplier of critical materials for wind turbines and electric vehicles.

A campaign to ban fossil fuel advertising and sponsorships has launched in Australia supported by a number of healthcare and environmental groups.

Spanish energy and construction giant Acciona plans to massively expand its investment in Australian renewable projects over the next five years, following the new federal government’s pledge to upgrade national electricity transmission networks.

Interest and investment in heat pumps has surged in Europe, but in Australia the technology has struggled to find a serious foothold. Industrial heat pumps could reduce ‘hard to abate’ emissions here by 15 million tonnes per annum by 2050, according to new modelling from the Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity though. Despite the potential, dodgy technology suppliers and schemes gone awry have left a bad taste in Australia’s mouth, CEO Jarrod Leak tells pv magazine Australia.

As Australia seeks to move beyond its global quarry status, the country’s first Cathode Precursor Production Pilot Plant launched on Monday in Western Australia’s Curtin University.

Solar installers operating in Western Australia’s South West claim recent changes made by the sole network operator, Western Power, are forcing them into a no-win situation of either operating ‘unethically’ or haemorrhaging customers. And for regional customers, the changes mean installing a renewable system will likely see their household unable run basic household appliances without constantly tripping the power.

ARENA today announced 12 projects with a combined capacity of 3 GW are on the shortlist for its $100 million Large Scale Battery Storage Round which aims to support to rollout of storage fitted with grid forming capacities.

Winter has proven no feat for the sunshine state, which is home to basically all of Australia’s best performing PV assets, senior Rystad analyst David Dixon finds.