October’s QLD energy price spike ‘harbinger of things to come’
On Tuesday 13th October 2020 Queensland’s electricity spiked from approximately $25/MWh to $15,000/MWh (the current market price cap) in response to a tripping incident involving the constraint of 11 solar farms and one wind farm. The event is being seen as illustrative of just what needs to be addressed in the design of NEM 2.0.
Weekend read: Down in the weeds of Australia’s distribution networks
Australian electricity wires are awash with sunshine, such that network operators have threatened to up the drawbridge on further rooftop connections, while limiting rooftop PV exports to the grid. But data streams hold the key to unlocking surprising existing capacity, stabilising voltage, and living the Aussie dream.
IEA report rubbishes Morrison’s gas-led energy plan
An International Energy Agency report led up by Rolf Frischknecht from Treeze in Switzerland and under the joint project management of the University of New South Wales’ José Bilbao has measured the lifecycle emissions of both residential solar PV with battery storage and gas-generated grid electricity. The results are not particularly surprising, only the Morrison Government’s ongoing obduracy is.
Sonnen to share revenues for grid services with consumers under new plan
Residential battery manufacturer Sonnen has unveiled a new power tariff program which signals a major shift for the Australian market.
TNG establishes vanadium redox flow battery business with an eye to rapid green sector advancement
Australian mining and resource technology company TNG Limited has set up a subsidiary, TNG Energy, to run point on the advancement of its green sector ambitions through the use of its high-purity vanadium pentoxide deposit to make vanadium redox flow batteries for off-grid solutions.
NT’s Home and Business Battery Scheme charging ahead
230 Northern Territory businesses have already received their vouchers for Australia’s most generous energy storage subsidity, the NT’s Home and Business Battery Scheme. The scheme, which is still open for applications until November 30, offers grants of $6,00 to homeowners and business owners to install solar and battery storage, or complement an existing solar system with a battery.
Winner, winner, chicken dinner! Australia’s largest poultry farm switches on solar plus energy storage system
Australia’s largest free-range chicken farm switched on one of the biggest solar plus energy storage system’s of any commercial farm in the country this week. With 1.4 MW of rooftop solar combining with 2.28 MWh of energy storage via 5 Tesla lithium-ion batteries, the farm is excited to save enormous amounts on its energy bill and its emissions. Winner, winner!
‘China must put EV battery reuse at heart of net-zero ambition’
The centralised nature of policymaking in Beijing would enable component standardisation to ease the transition from EV to stationary energy storage use, according to Greenpeace East Asia.
Gold Coast to light up with 33 MW Goldmine Solar Farm
One of Australia’s tourist hot spots could soon be home to a major solar farm with the Gold Coast City Council giving a 33 MW project the green light.
Long-read: Finance hopping the fence to the greener grass
As Green Finance begins to be seen more and more as global best practice the energy transition can only accelerate. This week, two stories attest to the growing acceptance of green finance by major financial institutions – ANZ Bank has pledged to extricate itself from thermal coal by 2030 and pursue more sustainable policies and Mike Cannon-Brookes supported startup Brighte announces Australia’s first 100% green asset-backed securitisation, $190 million in debt financing for Australians looking to uptake solar and battery storage in their home.
