Markets

Thanks to the Covid-19 many of us find ourselves in lockdown with little reprieve other than a morning potter or an evening stroll. In Goulburn, thanks to what is being called Australia’s largest solar lighting installation, locals can now more easily walk and cycle their way to the salutary effects of a daily jaunt.

The Australian renewables sector was not immune to a host of challenges that marked the first half of the year, but the pipeline of renewable energy projects in the country reached new heights. While new construction dipped to a four-year low and financial close remained out of reach for a great number of projects, the second half of the year is looking more positive, according to Norwegian consultancy Rystad Energy.

Hesta, a leading industry superannuation fund trusted by 860,000 Australians, has joined a host of other major investment firms nationwide calling on the Federal Government to encourage large-scale renewable investment by setting an emissions target and cleaning up its strategy.

New economic modelling from Accenture’s AlphaBeta has found 76,000 clean jobs just waiting to be created over the next three years if a green recovery from the twin recoveries from the Black Summer Bushfires and Covid-19 were implemented. The Plan, commissioned by the Climate Council, breaks down potential jobs in the hardest hit regions and occupations.

A 50 MW solar farm at a vacant site in Karrabin is on the verge of construction after Ipswich City Council approved the project’s Materials Change of Use application. Ipswich may have once been Queensland’s ‘cradle of coal mining’ but solar is a sure sign of growing up.

SA Water’s highly ambitious $300 million solar uptake is proving a golden goose as a partnership with Succession Ecology to revegetate almost a tonne of native seedlings under large-scale solar arrays proves a win-win. The ground-mounted modules mean native vegetation can return to formerly agricultural land, and the native scrub itself protects PV panels from soiling.

IHS Markit’s latest report looks at a wave of new investments in large-scale projects. Economies of scale and technological improvements, as well as renewables deployment, could make green hydrogen price-competitive with grey and blue hydrogen.

University of New South Wales researchers have published research disproving claims that the energy transition to large-scale wind and solar would hinder the global economy. The research, which ousts outdated and cherry-picked data while showing the economically salutary effects of renewables, comes as 500 UNSW staff face the axe due to the impact of Covid-19.

The Australian Hydrogen Council is making the most of its universal popularity by singing five new Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with key organisations in the Asia-Pacific and Canada including the Clean Energy Council and Bioenergy Australia.

Solar PPAs are now easier than ever to acquire for large companies and enterprise thanks to the partnership of Green Peak Energy and Energy Ease. The duo have joined forces to offer the Energy Ease PPA, a one stop shop for large solar PPAs and financing.