A new national authority to help plan and coordinate Australia’s transition from fossil fuel production and associated industries to a renewables dominated economy has been unveiled ahead of next week’s Federal Budget.

The Australian Energy Market Commission says the regulatory process for new transmission network projects must be overhauled to strengthen social licence and speed up the multi-billion-dollar expansion of the grid that is critical to the transition from coal to renewables.

Chinese solar module maker Risen Energy has launched two new n-type panels into the Australian market, targeting both the rooftop and large-scale PV markets.

AGL Energy last week shut its Liddell coal-fired power station in the Upper Hunter, ending generation from the site after more than five decades. Cornwall Insight Australia energy market analyst intern Darshitha PP takes a look at how the grid coped after the unit went offline.

Public housing tenants in the outback town of Alice Springs are set to share in the benefits of renewable energy with the Northern Territory government launching a rooftop PV and battery energy storage trial that will help inform the planning of future public housing builds and management of solar power on current stock.

Australia’s energy minister has revealed the upcoming Federal Budget will include support for a new revenue underwriting mechanism that is expected to unlock billions of dollars of renewable energy investment and “gigawatts of power” to support the ongoing decarbonisation of the grid.

The International Energy Agency expects Australia’s “outstanding” economic fundamentals for residential and commercial rooftop solar will see the sector stabilise in 2023 after a new report revealed the PV market contracted in 2022.

Battery chemicals giant Albemarle will invest up to $2.25 billion (USD 1.5 billion) as part of plans to double its lithium hydroxide output in Australia to a volume that it estimates could power almost 2.5 million electric vehicles a year.

Ammonia has been in the news because of its suitability as a hydrogen carrier and fuel, in addition to being a vital ingredient in fertiliser. Existing distribution networks and the ease of turning ammonia gas into a liquid make ammonia a cost-effective way to transport renewable energy.

The beleaguered Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro project has been hit with fresh construction delays and added cost blowouts with concerns the multi-billion-dollar project may now not reach full commercial operation until late 2029.