Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government has announced it will plough $1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those in the solar industry, and guarding against supply chain shocks and geopolitical tension.

Trina Solar continues to cement its transition from PV panel manufacturer to a single supplier for solar projects, having delivered both the modules and the tracking system for what is New Zealand’s largest operational solar farm.

Solar access will be expanded throughout regional Western Australia with state-owned energy provider Horizon Power announcing plans to roll out “state-of-the-art” internet-connected technology that will help balance energy on regional microgrids.

The Australian government will commit $1 billion to help build a domestic solar panel manufacturing industry that it anticipates will underpin the nation’s future as a renewable energy superpower.

Network operator Transgrid has shuffled the proposed route for the Victoria-New South Wales Interconnector West transmission project, acknowledging that community concerns, including potential impacts on agriculture and visual amenity have had a significant influence.

Electricity gen-tailer Origin Energy is currently in talks with the New South Wales government to extend the life of Australia’s biggest coal power clunker, the hyper-expensive, high-emissions, end-of-life 2.88 GW Eraring plant, beyond its slated closure date of August 2025. The reason cited for extension is to maintain reliable and secure energy supply in our state.

Australia is among the countries being considered to host a large-scale battery-grade lithium processing plant after Perth-based resources company Pilbara Minerals struck a deal with Chinese battery metals giant Ganfeng Lithium.

The Queensland government has formally identified 12 potential renewable energy zones across the state as part of its plans to connect 22 GW of new grid-scale wind and solar generation needed to help achieve its clean energy targets.

Modular solar array manufacturer 5B has commenced construction of the solar component of an 89.7 MW hybrid microgrid that will help power mining company Bellevue Gold’s namesake gold mine in Western Australia with at times up to 100% renewables.

The Australian, Tasmanian and Victorian governments have signed off on a new ownership agreement to deliver the contentious Marinus Link high-voltage Tasmania-Victoria interconnection project.