Saving water with solar and wind
Scientists at Princeton have found solar and wind energy offer the added environmental benefit of reducing water usage, by comparison with hydroelectric dams. Their findings, say the researchers, could have a positive impact on groundwater sustainability in drought-prone regions such as California, where they conducted a case study.
Australia could fall apart under climate change. But there’s a way to avoid it
Four years ago in December 2015, every member of the United Nations met in Paris and agreed to hold global temperature increases to 2°C, and as close as possible to 1.5°C. The bad news is that four years on the best that we can hope for is holding global increases to around 1.75°C. We can only do that if the world moves decisively towards zero net emissions by the middle of the century.
AEMO publishes indicative MLFs for 2020-21
The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) expects to see further declines in Marginal Loss Factors (MLFs) next financial year on a number of grid-scale PV projects, primarily in south-west News South Wales and north-west Victoria.
SMA to supply Greenough River second stage
The second stage of the first grid-scale solar plant in Australia, the Greenough River Solar Farm, will deploy German power electronics, with SMA announcing it has picked up a contract to supply the 30 MW development.
LCOE on some Australian PV projects as low as $27-36/MWh as renewables close in on global grid parity
The latest figures released by BloombergNEF show new solar and onshore wind power plants have reached parity with average wholesale prices in California, China and parts of Europe. The technologies are winning the race to be the cheapest sources of new generation for two-thirds of the world’s population.
Kidston solar-pumped hydro project stalls as funding falls through
Genex Power has failed to lock in a previously announced offtake agreement with EnergyAustralia for its landmark Kidston hub in northern Queensland and requested a trading halt with the ASX on their securities.
Australia’s shopping centres are increasingly utilising solar PV
Across Australia shopping centres are starting to realise their expansive car parks are the perfect solar farms. Not only do the centres get solar energy at peak times, but customers can avoid the real threat of car-related bodily burns by parking in the shade of a solar array.
Adani opens 65 MW Queensland solar farm, puts further investment on hold
While it seeks to build one of Australia’s biggest coal mines, Adani has grown more cautious on solar investment after suffering connection delays on its first renewables project in Australia.
Queensland’s grows its PV fleet as another solar farm gets connection go-ahead
One of Queensland’s largest solar developments near Miles has signed up to connect to the state’s publicly-owned electricity grid.
Spread the sun: CEC guides benefit sharing of renewable projects
The Clean Energy Council aims to establish benefit sharing, tailored to local contexts, as a feature of Australia’s renewable-energy projects. Its prescient and concise “how-to” guide builds on the industry’s successes so far.
