Markets & Policy

Record solar generation from both large-scale and rooftop PV is driving down the wholesale cost of energy, helping set new records for minimum demand for electricity from the grid and reducing emissions to record lows according to new data provided by the Australian Energy Market Operator.

The Victorian government has launched a market search for what is to be the first large-scale renewable energy project to be developed under the resurrected State Electricity Commission that will invest an initial $1 billion towards delivering 4.5 GW of renewable energy capacity.

The New South Wales government has tapped the ACE Energy consortium as the “first ranked proponent” to fill the network operator role for Australia’s first coordinated renewable energy zone that will host at least 3 GW of solar, wind and storage capacity.

Australians will be able to charge their electric vehicles in more rural and regional locations with the federal government announcing it will partner with motoring group NRMA to build a ‘backbone’ nation-wide network of fast-charging sites on major highways across the country by 2025.

China reached 327.4 GW cumulative installed PV capacity at the end of February, according to new figures from the National Energy Administration (NEA).

According to findings by Cornwall Insight Australia, this week’s closure of Liddell Power Station is expected to drive up average power prices during peak periods in New South Wales (NSW). Prices, particularly in the summer, are expected to be higher compared to the previous three years.

The Australian government’s green bank has identified small- to medium-sized renewable energy generation projects as a key focus, tripling its existing mandate with specialist fund manager Infradebt in a move designed to drive investment in the space which it said has traditionally suffered from a funding “gap”.

Solar and battery retailers in Victoria will have to abide by a new consumer protection standards after the state government announced it will mandate a new stronger code that builds on the previous guidelines and expands them to include new energy technology including electric vehicle chargers.

Western Australian startup International Graphite says its proposed graphite processing plant in Collie has been found to have “outstanding” economics by its new scoping study. Graphite is a vital element in lithium-ion batteries and International Graphite is one of a handful of Australian companies working to move its processing onto Australian shores.

Greek renewables developer Mytilineos has acquired a 15% stake in the Rosedale Green Hydrogen project, which aims to build a 800 MW solar farm next to a 560 MW hydrogen production plant at roughly the midpoint between Melbourne and Sydney on a major trucking corridor.