Utility Scale PV

The Tasmanian government is calling for registrations of interest from developers of new large-scale renewable generators and energy storage projects, and existing and proposed energy intensive load projects to participate in shaping the state’s first renewable energy zone.

Australian solar thermal specialist Vast Solar has partnered with storage development company 1414 Degrees to revive the long-awaited Aurora Solar Energy Project – which is to comprise a combination of solar thermal, PV, and battery energy storage technologies – at Port Augusta in South Australia.

Western Australian developer Frontier Energy, a relatively new player in the renewable space, says preliminary findings from its green hydrogen study indicate it could be producing “significantly earlier than originally anticipated” from its Bristol Springs Solar Project, to be located south of Perth.

Oil and gas giant BP will take a 40.5% stake in the 26 GW Asian Renewable Energy Hub megaproject proposed for Western Australia’s north coast.

Selected projects will be awarded a fixed rate under a 20-year contract under the country’s renewable energy certificate (REC) scheme and will sell electricity to local power distributors.

Australia’s uptake of rooftop solar is one of the highest in the world with more than 30% of free-standing households across the nation now fitted with a PV system but the Clean Energy Regulator has revealed a “steep decline” in the number of installations in early 2022 with deteriorating economics playing a major part.

Solar installers and resellers can now access up to $250,000 on interest-free terms to increase their stocks of Australian-made solar panels after PV module manufacturer Tindo Solar teamed with business financer Moula Pay.

Philippines-based Prime Infrastructure Holdings has unveiled plans to construct a massive solar farm and energy storage project featuring up to 3.5GW of PV backed by up to 4.5GWh of battery energy storage in the Southeast Asian nation.

The New South Wales government has invited registrations of interest from renewable generators, energy storage and network developers, and existing and proposed energy loads, to participate in shaping a renewable energy zone to be established in the Illawarra region on the state’s south coast.

Resource sector heavyweight Rio Tinto has called for proposals to develop an estimated 4GW of large-scale wind and solar farms and firming capacity in central and southern Queensland as it progresses plans to power its aluminium operations in the state with renewable energy.