The Australian Energy Regulator has approved more than $300 million of funding to support early works on the HumeLink project which is expected to boost overall transmission capacity in New South Wales, paving the way for gigawatts of new wind, solar PV and storage projects.

In just eight years time, the Labor government wants Australia to be 82% powered by renewable energy. That means a rapid, historic shift, given only 24% of our power was supplied by renewables as of last year.

Thailand’s Ratch Group has boosted its renewable energy ambitions in Australia and south-east Asia with the purchase of Singapore-based renewable energy company Nexif Energy’s pipeline of nearly 2.7 GW of wind, solar and storage assets in a deal valued at more than $870 million ($US605 million).

Sydney-based lithium-ion battery specialist Magnis Energy Technologies has begun commercial production of full-sized cells at its manufacturing plant in the United States with plans to increase production to 38 GWh of battery cell capacity per year by the end of the decade.

French renewables giant Total Eren continues to advance its green hydrogen ambitions in Australia, teaming with the Northern Territory government to develop a massive renewable hydrogen production facility powered by more than 2 GW of solar PV generation in the far north.

Victoria’s coal-fired power plants would be progressively shut down by the end of the decade under a climate bill to be introduced to state parliament this week.

Energy ministers from around the country have powered up Australia’s shift from coal and gas to a renewables-based grid with a national agreement to enshrine emissions reductions objectives into laws governing the nation’s energy market.

Local government associations continue to drive Australia’s shift towards renewable energy with councils around the country unveiling a series of clean energy projects, ranging from solar PV and storage installs, to solar panel recycling initiatives and long-term power purchase agreements.

Western Australia’s electric vehicle fast-charging network has reached an important milestone with the state government awarding Melbourne-based company Jet Charge a $4.1 million contract to create what will be the world’s longest continuously connected electric highway.

Australian clean energy developer Renewable Energy Partners will investigate opportunities to incorporate solar PV and a big battery as part of its plan to develop a 600 MW wind farm in the Western Downs region of Queensland.