Australia’s biggest battery cleared for testing following fire debacle
Energisation testing is set to resume from tomorrow for Neoen’s 300 MW / 450 MWh Victorian Big Battery, following the fire which caught global attention and destroyed two of its Megapacks on July 30.
Why the federal court case against Santos could have wide-reaching ramifications
Oil and gas giant Santos on Tuesday fronted up to Australia’s federal court, kicking off proceedings filed against it by the Environmental Defenders Office (EDO). Pv magazine Australia spoke to the EDO and its client about the precedent they hope to set with the case.
How Europe’s carbon border tax will affect Australia
Europe plans to introduce a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism in two years, requiring importers to pay a carbon price on steel, iron, aluminium, cement, electricity and fertiliser initially. Experts explain what the changes will mean for Australia’s export future, and just how little the legality debate matters.
US customs enforcement is jeopardising 2.1 GW of solar projects
Solar product detentions at U.S. ports of entry all stem from a June 24 “Withhold Release Order” issued by Customs and Border Protection.
Solar modules are being detained by customs agents, reports suggest
An order issued in late June instructed customs agents to detain solar shipments containing silica-based products sourced from a Chinese firm and its subsidiaries. Three solar players may already have been impacted.
Energy retailer fined $2.5 million after ‘phoney accent’ switch
The Australian retail arm of French renewables giant Engie has been fined $2.5 million after two “rogue” sales contractors allegedly used phoney accents and fake names to switch hundreds of customers to new energy contracts without their consent.
Saturday read: Southeast Asian solar markets emerging from the back of the pack
Southeast Asia could well become the global engine room of renewable energy expansion. Population and economic growth is expected across the three decades in which the world has to decarbonise, but the brimming bounty of renewables deployment will force developers to navigate the region’s systems. As it turns out, that could be a treacherous task.
Biden’s US ban on solar imports from China’s Xinjiang province stirs strong reactions
The Biden Administration’s decision to ban solar imports from four Xinjiang-based polysilicon manufacturers, Hoshine Silicon, Daqo, East Hope, and GCL New Energy Material, has already raised concerns. One analyst warns of a “significant negative impact” across the U.S. solar industry.
What’s been ‘lost’ amid the ‘solar tax’ outrage and how AEMC’s reforms benefit solar customers
As the Australian Energy Market Commission rifles through submissions on its reform package proposal, the Commission’s Chief Executive, Benn Barr, tells pv magazine Australia about some of the “profound changes” which have been overlooked and why he thinks two-way pricing is crucial.
Batteries boom as investment in large-scale renewables slumps to a 5-year low
New data released by the CEC and confirmed by industry experience, shows investors have become shy of committing to large-scale renewable projects in Australia, where government intervention has created uncertainty, and grid risk is virtually impossible to quantify — even with a prized connection agreement in hand.
