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Rooftop solar has outshone other renewables in Q3 2024, contributing 38.5% of generation ahead of grid-scale solar, 18.3% and wind,13.4%, while new capacity progressing through the connection phase grew 36% and battery projects, by 87%, compared to Q3 2023.

Labelled the “most difficult” in the world, Australia’s regulatory environment and grid connection process for new large-scale renewable energy generation and storage has also been lauded as the standard bearer for the global market.

Deal for 50.03% of Lightsource BP leaves oil and gas giant with total control of renewables developer. Lightsource BP is expected to continue trading with a standalone operating model, retaining its independent brand.

While Australia continues to be a revelatory solar market internationally, it lost its place in the top 10 solar installers globally in 2023, the IEA PVPS team reports. According to Renate Egan, Executive Director for the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics, it is the first time in 30 years Australia has dropped off that list. “What’s sad is that the rest of the world is now taking off and investing in solar and we’re falling behind,” she said at Melbourne’s All Energy on Thursday.

Australian company Rux Energy is commercialising technology that uses highly porous nanomaterials to coat tanks for hydrogen storage, claiming significant improvements to the cost, safety and efficiency of what remains a major industry barrier. It has secured funding in the Australian government’s latest round of research grants, and recently opened an office in Essex off the back of industry trials now underway in the UK.

The time for Australia to pursue its renewable energy ‘superpower’ ambitions is now with an audience at All Energy 2024 told the policy settings, regulatory rigor, and support are in place to enable a strong clean energy future.

Canada Fortescue Future Industries has withdrawn its proposal for the Coyote Hydrogen project in British Columbia, Canada, noting it may resume the project if pricing and availability improve.

Singaporean authorities have granted conditional approval to SunCable’s flagship AustraliaAsia PowerLink, with SunCable’s interim CEO describing the win as a “vote of confidence in the commercial and technical viability of our project.”

The federal government has announced it will double the amount of storage projects being sought in the next found of tenders for its Capacity Investment Scheme, upping it from 2 GW / 8 GWh to 4 GW / 16 GWh. The solar and wind tenders have also been increased, moving from 4 GW to 6 GW.

Founder and former CEO of SwitchDin Dr Andrew Mears is launching his new venture, Tesseract ESS, at Melbourne’s All Energy today. The proposition expands on his previous technologies to deliver a ‘storage-as-a-service’ model focused on Australia’s C&I segment, providing battery and solar systems at $0 CAPEX to Australian farmers, manufacturers and other businesses. Pv magazine Australia spoke to Mears ahead of the launch.