Covid-19

Such is the Global Village effect that the more globalised we are the more localised we become. The impacts of a global pandemic have choked industries and driven us into self-isolation, but at the same time, we are seeing an acceleration in the ingenuity of sales efficiency in the solar industry and a realisation of the necessity of self-generation. Tie this up with a shift to local government action on renewables and sustainability and the global recovery from Covid-19 is very much a local affair.

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.

Analyst IHS Markit has predicted storage will rebound this year following its first year-on-year decline in 2019. The technology is being rolled out at pace despite Covid-19 with state-level policies set to keep the US the global capital for the next five years.

Without droning on too much, the uses of drones in the solar industry are many, and this is why DroneDeploy has had such success in U.S. Now the company has opened a Sydney office and is planning rapid expansion with a focus on taking advantage of Australia’s widespread solar uptake. DroneDeploy’s Adam Savage sat down with pv magazine Australia to discuss.

Western Australia’s Recovery Plan continues to grow greenery as more renewable aspects of the state’s stimulus package come to light, specifically solar light that is. The state government has committed $22 million toward nine green hydrogen initiatives across the state, while also bringing forward its Renewable Hydrogen Strategy targets a decade and topping up the green hydrogen fund.

The NSW Government has approved the development of the state’s first hydrogen gas facility at Horsley Park. The Western Sydney Green Gas Project will power local homes and businesses and supply hydrogen-powered vehicles.

The 120 MW solar project near Wagga Wagga in New South Wales, the first renewable energy asset in the portfolio of network owner Spark Infrastructure, has achieved a critical milestone in the face of market challenges and delays.

As Covid-19 decimates the aviation industry, Melbourne Airport is set to make significant savings on its energy costs with the installation of a 12.4 MW solar farm, one of Australia’s largest behind-the-meter arrays, which will be able to power all four of the airport’s terminals.

The Australian government’s green bank intends to move beyond solar and wind investment over the coming year and put its capital to work in the nascent green hydrogen industry and grid projects.

Coming off a strong, profitable first quarter, Enphase sees the second-quarter results of Covid-19 in compressed revenue and a swing to a loss. Gross margins remain strong.