Australia starts producing solar powered signals intelligence
A 1.2 MW solar array has been powered up at Western Australian “spy station” near Geraldton. The array aims to take pressure off the region’s ageing power grid.
Australian first climate bond gives investors new access to solar and storage market
In what is described as Australian first climate bond, which gives investors access to new ways to invest in solar and storage, the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) has contributed $10 million towards the latest of FlexiGroup’s green bond issuances. The inclusion of energy storage in the underlying asset base is viewed as an important market development.
Australia renewables supply reaches 21.2%, rooftops provide record solar contribution
While renewables continue to do their bit on decarbonizing the energy sector, national emissions, especially in the transport sector, continue to rise amid a lack of any federal or state government limits, The Australia Institute warns. Total renewable supply, including rooftop solar, is at 21.2% of generation from all sources across the NEM, eating into the share once firmly held by coal and gas.
Solar to help power Sand Bypass System on Gold Coast
One of the Gold Coast’s most iconic pieces of infrastructure, the Sand Bypass System, will soon welcome a 100 kW solar array as part of a pilot project aimed at reducing operational costs.
Insurer issues cyclone warning for Queensland solar farms
Last year, Sun Metals insurer FM Global proposed cyclone testing the company’s 125 MW solar infrastructure near Townsville in Queensland, to better understand the risks involved in covering the asset against damage. The insurer today called for standardised testing of solar-farm designs proposed for the country’s north east, and the application of clear building guidelines that safeguard vital renewable infrastructure.
Hydrogen home storage, refueling hub get financial shot into the arm
Toyota Australia will transform its former manufacturing site in West Melbourne into a renewable energy hub to produce green hydrogen with the help of funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). In other hydrogen-related news, researchers at UNSW Sydney with partners H2Store have received a $3.5 million investment from Providence Asset Group to develop a hydrogen residential storage.
Australia’s first solar farm in Antarctica opens at Casey research station
A 30 kW vertical array has powered up at Australia’s Casey research station in Antarctica. The project is one the largest solar installations on the southernmost, ice-covered continent.
Epho to propagate commercial-scale solar farms in the city
At the Commercial and Large Scale Solar Conference, Epho, an EPC and operations-and-maintenance provider in the C&I space, announced it has developed a model for industrial rooftops to be blanketed in solar PV for the benefit of tenants, landlords and the grid — it involves operating both behind and in front of the meter.
Solar saves the (heatwave) day
The latest report from The Australia Institute corroborates solar’s pivotal role in shaving peak demand, particularly in the event of extreme conditions as seen in January. Renewables performed the best of all energy sources during the record-breaking summer of heatwaves, while coal clunkers were operating well below capacity, the findings confirm.
Without more solar and wind, NSW risks being left behind in the dark ages
Stating NSW was once a world leader on climate change, a new Climate Council report notes the state is now far behind being home to Australia’s oldest fleet of coal-fired power generators. While NSW public is highly supportive of renewable energy, state government policies fail to encourage more wind and solar projects beyond 2020.
