With more models entering the Australian car market and high prices at the bowser, electric vehicles are garnering more attention from both cost-aware and environmentally conscious consumers alike.

Australia’s national science agency has reaffirmed integrated wind and solar PV remain the cheapest new-build electricity generation options but warned inflationary pressures and ongoing supply chain disruptions are likely to stall any further cost reductions for at least 12 months.

Australian renewables developer Edify Energy has secured more than $13 million in federal and state government funding to help finance the installation of a 25 MW/50 MWh battery energy storage system featuring advanced inverter technology next to its 275 MW Darlington Point Solar Farm in south-west New South Wales.

Porsche-backed HIF Global has lodged plans with Tasmania’s Environment Protection Authority to build a renewables-powered green hydrogen facility in the state’s north-west that would be used to produce a “highly competitive” e-fuel, or electricity-based fuel, that can be directly substituted for fossil fuels in conventional car engines.

The green credentials of solar PV technology have been reinforced with Singapore-headquartered manufacturer Maxeon Solar Technologies releasing details of an independent study that shows the energy output of its Maxeon 3 panels is more than 100 times greater than the input required to make the solar panels.

Chinese-Canadian PV heavyweight Canadian Solar has for an undisclosed sum offloaded two of its Australian utility scale solar power projects with a combined generation capacity of 260 MW to an offshoot of United States renewable energy giant Berkshire Hathaway Energy.

One of the most characteristic features of Australia’s National Electricity Market is the sheer length of the entire network. With roughly 40,000 kilometres of high voltage transmission lines spanning a physical distance of around 5,000km, we have one of the longest interconnected electricity grids in the world.

Queensland-based energy investment manager Quinbrook Infrastructure has unveiled plans to build a $2.5 billion data storage precinct in Brisbane that will be powered by renewable energy and include one of the largest battery storage installations in the National Electricity Market.

A new report from the International Energy Agency stresses the importance of geographically diversifying the global PV supply chain. This would prevent supply chain vulnerability to bankruptcies and underinvestment.

Greece-based industrial conglomerate Mytilineos continues to notch up renewable energy milestones in the Australian market with construction commencing on the 75 MW Wyalong Solar Farm in the New South Wales Riverina region.