Legal

Tensions are heating up throughout the world over the issue of forced labor. Calls are increasing for supply chain transparency, and recently published EU draft legislation on corporate due diligence and accountability should improve upon the currently available voluntary measures, which have been described as largely ineffective. With this in mind, pv magazine’s UP Initiative will spend the second quarter of 2021 looking at what solar and energy storage companies can do to lead by positive example when it comes to the workers who are involved in the production of their products and services.

A new serial number ledger is being developed by the Clean Energy Regulator who will be working with solar industry stakeholders to safeguard the national Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme.

Reports emerged on Tuesday that Federal Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor had requested a review of Australia’s rooftop solar sector, citing integrity concerns. An important message comes from the Clean Energy Council as it warns against an Abbott-era political intervention that could harm the industry.

Infigen Energy on Tuesday recommended a revised offer from Iberdrola to its shareholders, after the Spanish renewable energy giant waived conditions of its takeover bid.

In a bid to encourage competition, the Morrison Government has announced its formal application of the Consumer Data Right regime to the energy sector. It is a move supported by the Australian Energy Council and Energy Consumers Australia but how much power can the consumer expect in the Big Data revolution?

The Essential Services Commission of South Australia has given the tick of approval for the Tesla big battery to vary its electricity generation license in line with its increased capacity from 100 to 150 MW.

The Düsseldorf Regional Court has agreed Chinese rivals of the Korean manufacturer illegally used its patented passivation technology. The judges granted Hanwha Q-Cells an injunction which requires Jinko, REC and Longi to retrieve all modules featuring the patented technology distributed in Germany since late January last year. Hanwha can also opt to have the offending products destroyed.

Infigen Energy has recommended an $840.6 million buyout bid from Spain’s Iberdrola to its shareholders and urged them to reject an earlier offer from Philippines-linked investment company UAC Energy.

In its formal bidder’s statement, Philipines UAC Energy has urged Infigen shareholders to accept its takeover bid of $0.80 a share, while Infigen remained adamant no action should be taken in relation to the “opportunistic” offer. Previously, the acquisition of another prominent renewables developer, Windlab, was greenlit in a landslide shareholder vote.

The Australian Competition Tribunal is currently hearing arguments on a proposed code that would apply to the ‘buy now pay later’ sales practices of solar panel and installations. It is being argued that the practices are a form of predatory lending.