Installations

Western Australian renewables company Provaris Energy has lodged a referral submission to the Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority for its proposed 2.8 GW green hydrogen export project being developed on the Tiwi Islands off Australia’s north coast.

With the spike in global energy prices sparking increased interest in renewable technologies, the Royal Automobile Association of South Australia has expanded its solar PV and battery energy storage offerings through the acquisition of Adelaide-based installer Living Energy and Lovell Electrical.

Australian software company OpenSolar has expanded its partnership with fintech lender Plenti Group to give Australian solar installers the option to offer customers access to zero-interest payment plans in a bid “to make solar accessible to more people as quickly as possible”.

The quickening exit of coal-fired generation from Australia’s energy mix – with 60% of capacity expected to be withdrawn from the National Electricity Market by 2030 – has emphasised the need for significant investment in renewable energy generation, storage, transmission, and system services.

The Australian arm of Spanish energy giant Iberdrola has broken ground on its 190 MW Avonlie Solar Farm with the ‘golden rows’ of solar panels installed at the project being developed in the New South Wales Riverina region.

The Australian Energy Market Operator has declared approximately $12.7 billion of investment in new transmission lines should begin “as urgently as possible” to accelerate the transition to renewable energy and energy storage, replace exiting coal-fired power plants, and deliver a more efficient and effective grid in eastern and south-eastern Australia.

The Clean Energy Regulator has outlined the second round of changes coming to Australia’s solar rebate program, the small-scale renewable energy scheme (SRES). They primarily involve changing which body will manage solar designer and installer accreditations and who will publish approved solar panel and inverter equipment lists – both of which have formerly been the remit of the Clean Energy Council.

Alion Energy trackers thread the return-on-investment needle with productivity gains from white roofs and bifacial modules, while design aggressively maximises module count.

A green hydrogen production facility planned for Brighton, Tasmania, is progressing with its developer, Countrywide Renewable Hydrogen, owned by ReNu Energy, announcing it has an option to lease its identified site and has drawn up a term sheet with a local contractor.

Tata Power’s engineering, procurement and construction unit has commissioned a 101.6 MWp floating solar project in the Indian state of Kerala.