Big batteries earn $20 million over three months
Against the backdrop of extreme heat, generator, and transmission line outages and intense bushfires, revenues for grid-scale batteries on the National Electricity Market (NEM) have been trending upwards.
Solar and wind set new output record even as curtailment continues to bite
Grid-scale wind and solar output reached new highs in Q4 last year pushing power prices to a three-year low despite a number of coal-fired generator outages. As Australia’s big PV fleet continues to expand, the National Electricity Market saw the highest output of big PV on record, but also record curtailment.
Adjudication: Windlab to bear costs of delays at Kennedy solar-wind-battery park
The developers of the Kennedy Energy Park will have to pay more than $7.5 million in variation claims and delay costs pursuant to an adjudication decision which is likely to raise concerns in the Australian renewable energy sector.
Shell breaks ground on 120 MW PV project to power onshore gas operations
Construction has begun on Royal Dutch Shell’s 120 MW solar farm which will generate clean energy for QGC’s natural gas processing plants near Wandoan in South West Queensland. The project is the oil major’s first global investment in an industrial-scale solar farm.
AFP miraculously drops Taylor investigation
In a decision that seems to endorse the intervention of the supernatural, the Australian Federal Police has dropped its investigation into Energy Minister Angus Taylor and the allegedly forged document he attempted to use to skewer Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore.
The Smart Energy Council and the Turnbulls gather with progressive conservatives to shift the dial on climate change
Identity politics and an almost religious zeal have come to characterise Australian parliamentary climate debate, but smart industry groups, lobbyists, scientists and Liberal-minded change agents are working to influence the centre-right agenda towards a more economically rational and conservationist approach to energy transition.
Queensland requests $1 billion in renewable energy funding
In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Queensland Deputy Premier Jackie Trad has called for more renewable investment and Federal government backing to help create and support more jobs in more industries, but gas is not out of the picture.
Out of the solar forge and into the advisory seat
An energy executive in transition, Alba Ruiz Leon combines recent learnings as head of the team that built Limondale with the analytical resources she now commands as leader of Cornwall Insight Australia.
Morrison-Berejiklian energy deal: Opportunity for renewables or climate deal with the devil?
An energy deal struck between the Morrison and Berejiklian governments that will see more than $2 billion invested to increase gas supply and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the electricity sector has prompted a flurry of reactions that boil down to two conflicting interpretations of its purpose.
Renewables investment collapses due to network woes and policy uncertainty
In yet another confirmation of a dramatic drop in spending on large-scale renewables in Australia, a new analysis by the Clean Energy Council reveals a fall from 51 projects worth $10.7 billion in 2018 down to 28 projects worth $4.5 billion in 2019. Mounting regulatory risks, under-investment in transmission and policy uncertainty are the main reasons behind investment slow-down, which is set to put greater pressure on reliability and power prices as Australia’s old coal-fired power stations continue to close.
