The new federal Energy Minister has revealed his thinking, although few details, as to the measures the government will take in pursuit of its new “laser like” focus on electricity price reduction. While denying that he is a climate sceptic, emissions reduction clearly has no place in proposed policy measures.

Delays in achieving the full commissioning of Australian PV power plants are beginning to seriously impact project EPCs. Diversified engineering and infrastructure company RCR Tomlinson has postponed its annual financial results, with speculation mounting that delays to the commissioning of a solar project has caused “a material negative impact” on its earnings.

The Victorian Labor Party plans to locate its Solar Victoria agency in the heart of the state’s coal country. The agency is set to administer the state government’s proposed $1.3 billion Solar Homes program.

The National Energy Guarantee (NEG) has been stripped of emissions reductions. The unlikely has happened less than one week after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull claimed an overwhelming victory for the policy in the coalition party room.

After passing through the Federal Coalition party room, Australian states and territory governments have agreed to the release an ‘exposure draft’ of the legislation that will enable the National Energy Guarantee (NEG). Whether it will pass House of Representatives is another matter.

The National Energy Guarantee (NEG) has stumbled, battered and bruised, into today’s coalition party room meeting. It’s hard to imagine it surviving many more rounds in the energy policy boxing ring. While it’s received support from a wide range of businesses and industry bodies engaged with the energy sector, including the Clean Energy Council, a ‘better than nothing’ NEG is looking like a right mess.

While the global PV market is set to record its weakest Q3 demand since 2015, the Australian market will finish the year strong across all segments. GTM Research made the finding in its latest Global Demand Monitor, noting that oversupply and falling prices will result in a decline of modules, as a percentage of total utility scale developer cost, from 34% to 28% in Australia this year.

Mixed messages have emerged from today’s COAG Energy Ministers’ meeting today, after what was meant to have been a decisive meeting for the National Energy Guarantee (NEG) policy measure. Fundamental opposition from some Labor states remain, however an agreement to release the draft legislation was reached – after it passes the test of the coalition party room.

Federal Labor leader Bill Shorten has chosen a visit to UNSW’s solar research facility to push for “fair dinkum” negotiations between the Federal Government and the states over the NEG tomorrow. Labor may look to secure a higher NEG emissions reduction target in the Senate, after passing the lower house.

Aevitas will design and construct a 3.6 MW solar PV array for Australia’s largest cotton producer. The Cubbie Solar Project will supply 40% of Cubbie’s electricity demand, during its peak ginning season between April and September.