India’s state utility tenders 1 GW of solar capacity, private company tenders for module partners
Developers have until May 27 to submit bids for state-run power producer NTPC’s projects anywhere in India. In a separate development, company BHEL has issued a global tender seeking module supply partners for an aggregate 750 MW of panels.
Coles signs two major agreements after becoming final supermarket to switch to 100% renewables
After recently joining the rest of Australia’s supermarket chains by pledging to be 100% powered by renewables by 2025, Coles today announced it had signed power purchasing agreements with both Engie and Neoen.
Big battery market gets a leg up as rule maker proposes rewards for fast grid responses
The Australian Energy Market Commission, the country’s rule maker for electricity and gas markets, has this morning released proposals to reward fast frequency services in the National Electricity Market for the first time.
Global database for PV system performance
The database brings together photovoltaic performance data and meteorological values from PV systems located in all climate zones. It is being built by an international consortium including the Fraunhofer Centre for Silicon Photovoltaics CSP, and the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences.
Shaded solar parks found to be beneficial for pollinators and plants alike
Researchers in the US ascertained that the partial shading provided by solar parks creates a microclimate that favours the abundant growth of more varied flowers and pollinators. They also found that partial shading increases bloom abundance by delaying bloom timing, increasing forage for pollinators during the hot and dry late season.
Australia’s top dairy processor signs 10-year renewable power purchasing deal
Australia’s largest dairy processor, Saputo Dairy Australia, has signed a 10 year power purchasing agreement with French-owned power company Engie to reduce its emissions through renewably sourced electricity.
WA green hydrogen project grows from 1 GW to 8 GW, following commitment from French powerhouse
Province Resources has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with French giant Total Eren, which could see the two companies have equal shares in Province’s HyEnergy Zero Carbon Hydrogen project proposed in northwest Western Australia. Importantly, the ambition of the project seems to have grown significantly with the commitment of heavy hitter, Total Eren, with Province now saying it plans to install 8 GW of renewable energy capacity, far more than the 1 GW which caused a stir when it was announced earlier this year.
Green hydrogen and the cable-pipeline dilemma
New research from Singapore has found that gas pipelines for the onshore transport of green hydrogen and the cables for the transport of electricity to produce it at a distant location have similar costs at a 4000 km transmission distance. For longer distances, gas pipelines were found to be cheaper than cables, although the electric lines are said to benefit from scaling up and higher utilisation. For both options, however, a currently too high hydrogen LCOE remains the biggest barrier to overcome.
The manufacturing multiplier of BZE’s Renewable Energy Industrial Precincts
Business synergies, employment opportunities, leadership in decarbonising world markets. BZE has the ear of the Prime Minister, and research to inspire a statement of intent for renewable-energy-powered, competitive Australian manufacturing.
Sunday read: Strong growth ahead for storage
Annual battery storage installations will exceed 10 GW/28 GWh in 2021, following a particularly strong year in 2020, despite the challenges created by the global pandemic, writes IHS Markit analyst Mike Longson. Combined solar and storage will be a core focus for new deployment in 2021, as the front-of-the-meter and behind-the-meter energy storage markets are both expected to grow significantly in the months ahead.
