Markets & Policy

Wood Mackenzie says the levelized cost of electricity in the Asia-Pacific region hit an all-time low in 2023, as utility-scale PV beat coal to become the cheapest power source. It predicts a further drop in costs for new-build solar projects, driven by falling module prices and oversupply from China.

The Clean Energy Regulator has announced that the newly launched Solar Accreditation Australia is the new accreditation scheme operator for the nation’s solar workforce – more than 9,000 installers and designers.

Less than 12 months after construction began in northern Victoria and the 102 MW Glenrowan Solar Farm has been completed and commissioned and is now operating at full unconstrained capacity.

Philippines-based energy company ACEN Corporation has secured a $150 million funding package that will bolster its plans to deliver a 9 GW portfolio of solar, wind, battery storage and pumped hydro projects in Australia.

Origin Energy has issued a notice to proceed to EPC contractor Fluence for its 300 MW / 650 MWh battery energy storage project planned for Mortlake in southwest Victoria, progressing the company’s goal to build its renewables and storage portfolio to 4 GW by 2030.

The Indonesian government has ended net metering for rooftop solar installations. The Jakarta-based Institute for Essential Services Reform says this could make it harder for the country to meet its solar deployment targets, as PV installations will become more expensive for households and small businesses.

The Australian arm of French energy giant EDF Group has acquired and agreed to co-develop the proposed 300 MW / 3 GWh Dungowan pumped hydro energy storage project being progressed in the New South Wales New England region.

Australian minerals company Vecco Group will team with Japanese manufacturer Sumitomo Electric and Idemitsu Australia to build an ‘end-to-end’ manufacturing supply chain for vanadium flow batteries in north Queensland.

The South Australian government has accelerated its net 100% renewables deadline from 2030 to 2027, declaring the target is achievable due to the state’s new wind and solar developments and investment in green hydrogen.

With assistance from a Victorian government energy efficiency initiative, United States-headquartered digital infrastructure company Equinix has installed a 1 MW rooftop solar system atop one of its Melbourne data centres as it continues to build upon its broader clean energy program.