During the global COP28 conference, discussions led by Australia’s Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen once again centered on the need for greater urgency in delivering planned energy generation to accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to reach 2030 and 2050 clean energy targets.

The rooftop solar juggernaut shows no signs of slowing in Australia with an unprecedented contribution from household PV systems delivering a string of new records in the National Electricity Market to close out 2023.

The Australian arm of French renewables player Neoen is set to start the construction of its largest solar farm in New South Wales – and the second biggest in its global portfolio – pressing go on the 350 MW Culcairn Solar Farm being developed in the state’s south.

Renewables developer Enel Green Power Australia has confirmed that its 27 MW Cohuna Solar Farm in northern Victoria has resumed partial operations after being forced to shut down following a grassfire at the site last month.

The latest estimates of electricity generation costs in Australia reveal that solar and wind power remain the cheapest form of energy, even after the expense of integrating them into the grid is factored in.

Six green hydrogen projects with a total electrolyser capacity of more 3.5 GW have been shortlisted for the Australian government’s $2 billion (USD 1.35 billion) Hydrogen Headstart initiative that is intended to support the development of 1 GW of electrolyser capacity by 2030 through two to three “flagship” projects.

The Marinus Link power cable to be built between Victoria and Tasmania is a step closer to reality after the Australian Energy Regulator approved the project’s first revenue proposal, marking the planned early works spend as “prudent and efficient.”

The New South Wales government has formalised its decision to double the size of Australia’s first coordinated renewable energy zone, boosting its capacity to 6 GW of solar, wind and storage in a move designed to better cater for the state’s future energy as it transitions from coal and gas to a renewables-based grid.

Australian battery and renewable energy developer Akaysha Energy continues to expand its energy storage portfolio, announcing that it has reached a final investment decision on a 205 MW / 410 MWh battery being developed in southeast Queensland.

The Australian arm of Swedish renewables heavyweight OX2 will develop a new 25 MW solar farm in the New South Wales Riverina district after signing a long-term power purchase agreement with data centre firm AirTrunk and global tech giant Google.