In late 2016, Queensland’s Labor Government revealed a plan for 50% of the State’s electricity to be renewably sourced by 2030, and the state has made significant steps toward that goal.

Having verified its technology in projects around the globe, Australian start up Power Ledger is looking to scale its offering to much larger communities. The Australian Energy Market Commission last week proposed a similar agenda.

Spanish renewables giant Iberdrola expands its reach into Australia with a planned 650 MW pipeline of projects just as it also pledges to “relaunch clean energies in Spain”.

The Australia Institute’s National Energy Emissions Audit revealed the disheartening news that growth in diesel consumption, mainly in road transport, has negated gains made in carbon emissions reduction achieved in the NEM. But one Australian automotive-engineering firm has plans to transform the light-to-medium-duty diesel-slurping vehicle sector to run cleanly and quietly on electricity.

Australia’s east coast is ablaze, with worse weather conditions set to fan the flames in coming days. Telecommunications is one industry threatened by changing climate conditions, and Singtel has sought to prepare its people and its infrastructure for the risks of the future while at the same time reducing its own carbon footprint.

Australia’s rooftop PV has become the country’s biggest potential energy resource. To harness it requires that millions of household and commercial generators cede control of their hard-won, sunny patch. A new research entity has been launched to understand energy consumers’ passions and motivators, and facilitate a fair and equitable social contract — no pressure!

Hybrid home battery/inverter systems were the hot ticket at All Energy Australia last month. Those that provide back-up capacity will change the lives of people living in blackout-prone areas.

It may come as a volt from the blue, but solar PV still has enormous unexplored potential. With the help of a globally renowned startup accelerator, a team from UNSW’s famous photovoltaics division is taking solar generation out of the ‘burbs and into the urban jungle.

For large retailers and councils around Australia, solar-shaded parking can dial up the welcome to customers. Dexus has weighed the benefits against the cost of one massive solar installation over molten summer tarmac and come out in favour of rooftop PV.

The Clean Energy Council aims to establish benefit sharing, tailored to local contexts, as a feature of Australia’s renewable-energy projects. Its prescient and concise “how-to” guide builds on the industry’s successes so far.