A Victorian solar installer has been fined $500,000 for a string of workplace safety breaches, including a 2019 incident where a worker suffered serious injuries after falling through a skylight.

Queensland’s ambition to become a leading producer and exporter of green hydrogen continues to gather steam with the state government announcing a large-scale solar PV and battery-powered renewable hydrogen electrolyser will be built near Chinchilla on the Darling Downs.

Green energy fund CEP.Energy is forging ahead with plans to establish itself as a renewable powerhouse, appointing Adelaide-headquartered contractor Enerven to provide engineering, procurement and construction services as it looks to accelerate its ambition to build 1.5 GW of solar and 2 GW of big battery capacity around Australia.

Queensland-based designer and manufacturer of lithium-ion battery energy storage systems RedEarth Energy Storage plans to expand its product range and increase manufacturing capacity after raising $12 million in a pre-initial public offering funding round led by Ord Minnett Private Opportunities.

With technological progress, falling costs, and favourable subsidies all incentivising Australian households to replace serviceable modules and upgrade their rooftop array, a stockpile of useable second-hand modules is mounting. But efforts to embrace reuse rather than refuse are taking shape.

The proposed $3.5 billion Marinus Link interconnector between Tasmania and the Australian mainland has reached a significant milestone with “critical” environmental referrals being lodged with the federal and Victorian governments.

Australian miner Northern Star Resources has partnered with independent power provider Nomadic Energy to more than triple the capacity of the solar farm at its Carosue Dam gold mining operation near Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.

Australian renewable energy developer BE Power will continue to progress plans to construct a 400 MW pumped hydro storage project near Toowoomba in southeast Queensland after the local government authority gave the project its tick of approval.

Fortescue Future Industries has revealed plans to develop a 1 GW solar PV module manufacturing plant in Australia after confirming it had acquired a 60% stake in Netherlands-based renewable energy specialists High yield Energy Technologies Group.

With some of the world’s largest solar PV module manufacturers warning of looming panel shortages, Australian researchers have declared a new generation of cheap, sustainable and efficient solar cells is now a step closer.