Heatwaves and electricity supply, or how to stop a ticking bomb
As scorching heatwave drove up air conditioning power demand, faults at coal-fired power plants were directly responsible for blackouts across Victoria and South Australia. Extreme weather is debunking arguments for new fossil fuel generation, and signaling Australia’s energy security lies in renewables.
Renewables turn emissions tide and rooftop solar shoulders heatwave load
The Australia Institute’s first emissions audit of 2019 shows renewables pushing coal aside to reduce Australia’s emissions 20% below the peak recorded in 2008; and the load that January’s high temperatures would normally exert on the grid has been mitigated by high uptake of rooftop solar.
Christmas Island taps into off-grid solar in post-mining land reclamation
As part of a scientific research focusing on agriculture on exhausted mining areas, a seed cleaning shed on Christmas Island is being powered by solar+storage. The switch from polluting diesel has not only brought a low maintenance, silent and environmentally friendly solution to this remote location, but also lowered operational costs nearly fivefold.
REC Group strengthens Australian presence with new distributer
Having welcomed Sol Distribution on board, Norwegian solar manufacturer REC Group hopes to expand its presence in Australia, which it sees as its key market in the APAC region.
Australia’s biggest community solar farm invites all Canberrans to bask in the benefits of energy transition
The opening of SolarShare’s Mount Majura Solar Farm to investors this week represents a significant milestone in the community-energy sector in Australia, says Nicky Ison, founding Director of the Community Power Agency. “It is the first community solar farm in Australia that is grid connected in front of the meter,” she says, and at 1 MW capacity it will also be the country’s biggest community-owned solar farm.
Solar will rebound this year with more than 100 GW of new capacity
Wood Mackenzie’s number-crunchers are the latest analysts queueing up to predict a bumper year ahead for PV, with falling prices, rising efficiency rates and booming markets outside China all on the cards. And it could be a make-or-break year for mega-projects, says Wood Mac.
Aldi Australia to roll out 4.6 MW of rooftop solar
German discount supermarket chain Aldi is set to roll out solar PV across 30 stores and distribution centers in New South Wales and Queensland. Netherlands-based renewables developer Photon Energy will deliver the rooftop PV arrays.
Hanwha Q Cells, sonnen to power off-the-plan solar+storage in South Australia
A property development in South Australia will deliver solar and storage off-the-plan for home buyers. Developer DLH Projects and Natural Solar are partnering on the property development, and will utilize Hanwha Q Cells DUO-G5 modules and sonnen batteries, making it the first multi-site residential development to benefit from the South Australia Home Battery Scheme.
Canadian Solar bags 333 MW module supply deal for Darlington Point
The Chinese-Canadian solar manufacturer has been chosen to supply over 820,000 of modules and handle the EPC duties on one of Australia’s largest solar projects – the 333MW DC (275MW AC) solar farm at Darlington Point, NSW.
CER confirms 2018 smashed records
With more than 360 power stations accredited with a cumulative capacity of 3,376 MW, the Clean Energy Regulator says 2018 was a record year for Australia’s large-scale renewable capacity additions.
