Legal

Australian-based mining giant Fortescue Metals Group has announced it will deploy an additional 2 GW to 3 GW of renewable energy generation and battery storage as part of a more-than $9 billion plan to decarbonise its iron-ore operations by 2030.

Seven solar installers in New South Wales have had their electrical contractor licences stripped by the state government regulator after investigations found they had signed off on rooftop PV installations while they were interstate or overseas.

Australia’s Clean Energy Regulator has this week executed search warrants on several residential and commercial addresses connected to a Perth-based solar PV retail and installation business as part of an investigation into a potential $1.5 million solar panel fraud.

Australia’s federal government has trumpeted the successful passage of legislation enshrining a pledge to slash carbon emissions by 43% by 2030 and to net zero by 2050, saying it provides the certainty that investors have been seeking so they can invest in renewable energy generation, storage and in transmission.

As Australia’s Climate Change Bill 2022 progresses through parliament, a Senate committee has recommended using wood waste from native forests to generate electricity should no longer be classified as “renewable energy.” It is not yet clear what impact such changes would have on the growing pipeline of Australian ‘biomass’ projects.

The US International Trade Commission has launched a new investigation into SolarEdge, following a lawsuit from power electronics specialist Ampt.

After turning down the initial bid last month, Australian developer Genex Power this morning confirmed it will progress with a revised acquisition offer from a consortium of private equity firms led by Skip Capital, belonging to Australian technology billionaire and Atlassian cofounder Scott Farquhar.

ROTH Capital Partners reports 3 GW have been seized under enforcement of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act.

The Australian Energy Regulator has launched a “one-stop” online shop which aims to reduce regulatory hurdles and assist energy businesses and start-ups seeking to bring new technology and innovation to the market.

Ampt posits that all of SolarEdge’s technology is in violation of patents controlled by the Colorado company, and that they should be required to immediately cease all sales.