Long read: What broke at Oakey
With its high wholesale power prices, attractiveness to capital, wide open spaces and abundant sunshine, there is every reason to believe Australia is a PV project developer’s nirvana. However, as the wreckage at the 55 MW Oakey 2 site in Queensland reveals, challenges under the Australian sun should not be taken lightly.
Newcastle unveils 5 MW solar farm on disused landfill
Located on a disused landfill that was once part of a coal mine, the newly completed solar farm will save ratepayers around $9 million over its 25-year lifespan.
Mirvac commits to 100% renewables as RE100 experiences banner year
Mirvac has become the first Australian property company to join RE100, reaffirming its commitment to transition to 100% renewable energy by 2030. Growing by a third with 40% of that growth coming from Asia and the South Pacific, the global initiative which brings together companies committed to sourcing all of their energy from renewables is experiencing its biggest year yet.
Elon Musk calls for an ‘immediate’ and ‘significant increase’ in Tesla’s solar installs
Tesla was once the unquestioned leader in the residential rooftop market with a market share of around 33 percent, but today, the company is No. 3, and its market share during the first quarter was a little more than 6 percent.
Vietnam introduces auction scheme for large-scale PV
With the publication of Notification No. 402/TB-VPCP on Nov. 22, the Vietnamese government has cemented its transition from feed-in tariffs to auctions, in a clear step away from earlier promises to revive the FIT scheme.
Epho commences construction of its first urban solar farm
Construction is underway on the first urban solar farm to harness the power of clean energy using Epho’s Bright Thinkers Power Station. The technology overcomes various constraints for solar in the city allowing installations to operate both behind and in front of the meter.
Victoria proposes cuts to minimum feed-in tariffs
Victoria’s Essential Services Commission has proposed electricity retailers should offer PV owners the option to choose between a single rate feed-in tariff and a time-varying feed-in tariff, and set lower minimum rates for both.
Pernod Ricard becomes first Australian winemaker to switch to 100% renewables
All of the winemaker’s Australian sites are now using renewable electricity thanks to the completion of the nation’s largest combined winery solar installation and a 10-year power purchase agreement to source renewable electricity.
Another Riverina solar project gets go-ahead
The 90 MW West Wyalong Solar Farm has become the latest addition to the swelling solar PV pipeline in the Riverina region having secured the NSW Government’s approval.
APA opens new solar farm in its Western Australian renewables precinct
Gas pipeline giant APA Group has formally opened a 19.25 MW Badgingarra Solar Farm in Hill River, Western Australia. The project is colocated with a 130 MW wind farm.
