The reliability of Australia’s power supply has improved driven by the addition of new solar and wind capacity, making summer blackouts less likely, the Australian Energy Market Operator finds in its latest report. In light of the aging coal fleet and scheduled plant closures, timely commissioning of new generation, storage and transmission investment will be critical.

The UK developer has completed the sale of the 162MWac (203MWdc) Columboola Solar Farm in Queensland’s Western Downs, having recently signed a power purchase agreement with state government-owned utility CS Energy.

In light of the recent events that have caused the polysilicon price to skyrocket, solar developers in Australia are being warned about module supply constraints and price volatility over the coming quarter.

The California-based energy technology company has announced that its microinverters have been selected for Solargain’s turnkey solar offerings in Australia, including the retailer’s offer in collaboration with the Swedish furniture giant.

In its H1 2020 report, the UK-based infrastructure investor revealed it had suffered substantial losses, mainly due to performance issues on its renewable energy projects. Two of the company’s Australian solar farms were particularly badly hit by transmission and equipment issues.

Reports emerged on Tuesday that Federal Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor had requested a review of Australia’s rooftop solar sector, citing integrity concerns. An important message comes from the Clean Energy Council as it warns against an Abbott-era political intervention that could harm the industry.

As part of the state’s economic recovery plan, the Palaszczuk Government has committed $145 million for Renewable Energy Zones in north, central and south-west Queensland.

With two synchronous condensers installed as part of the project, the 275MWac/333MWdc Darlington Point Solar Farm hopes to help manage the ongoing integration of renewable energy generation in the West Murray region.

Following its swift completion, Risen Energy’s 132 MW Merredin Solar Farm has joined the Western Australian grid. The project has finalized its staged commissioning process and is now exporting clean energy at 100% capacity.

As renewables penetration increases, transmission and distribution (T&D) infrastructure will require significant reinforcement. Battery storage is becoming a key alternative to traditional ways of reinforcing network infrastructure, because it is fast to deploy, can provide multiple services, and often comes at a lower capital cost. IHS Markit analyst Oliver Forsyth delves into the additional value streams that strengthen the case for grid-connected batteries.