Markets & Policy

The New South Wales government has announced an $8 million (USD 5.5 million) pilot program which will support the entire electrification of three communities across the state. It is anticipated the initiative will include the deployment of solar, batteries and local electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

Australian startup Relectrify aims to scale up the adoption of its highly efficient and cost-effective battery storage technology after attracting financial backing from a group of international heavyweights including Japanese car giant Toyota’s venture capital firm.

The Western Australian Government has launched a new $15 million (USD 10.3 million) grant program to expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure throughout the state and accelerate the uptake of zero emission vehicles.

China’s Longi claims that its new ALK Hi1 electrolyser can produce hydrogen with an energy content of 4.3 kWh per normal cubic meter. It says the levelised cost of hydrogen could be up to 2.2% lower than other electrolysers on the market.

There is currently no widely accepted test methodology to assess the safety of second-life lithium-ion batteries (LiBs). However, a UK government study reveals two opposing views on their safety, raising concerns over whether such devices should be deployed in homes under any circumstances.

Spanish company PV Hardware has enjoyed its most successful year in the Australian market with the company commencing construction on more than 1 GW of utility scale projects in 2022 and the cleantech manufacturer believes the best is yet to come.

The European Commission has presented the final version of its new rules for green hydrogen, with looser requirements to qualify hydrogen as “green.”

German industrial giant Siemens has partnered with Swinburne University of Technology to develop a future grid mapping “energy transition hub.” The project seeks to accelerate the transition to renewable energies by bringing research and industry together while also serving as a learning tool for Swinburne students.

SolarEdge’s revenue rose 58% year over year to USD 3.1 billion ($4.5 billion) in 2022. It expects revenues for the first quarter of 2023 to be within the range of $1.33 billion to $1.37 billion.

The Greens will back the government’s hallmark Safeguard Mechanism policy reforms, but only if the government agrees to a moratorium on new coal or gas projects. The Greens hold the balance of power on the policy’s fate and their resolution has sparked fears that Australia could see a repeat of the dreaded climate wars.