Markets & Policy

New Zealand’s solarZero says it aims to provide fast, sustained reserves with its virtual power plant of 10,000 household battery systems. Meridian Energy, meanwhile, has secured approval for a 100 MW battery energy storage system – the country’s largest such system to date.

Panel shipments collectively worth hundreds of millions of dollars are blocked from entering the United States market as they have failed scrutiny under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, said Reuters.

Mining magnate Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest is the founder and executive chair of Fortescue Metals Group, a major Australian iron ore producer. The company recently announced an ambitious USD 6.2 billion ($9.3bn) decarbonisation strategy. Meanwhile, a fully owned subsidiary – Fortescue Future Industries – has rapidly become a global player in green hydrogen, along with a host of other technology pathways in the energy transition. Whether it is pushing to decarbonise mining, hashing out headline-making green energy deals, or using the popular “Rick and Morty” cartoon to educate people about the potential of green hydrogen, Fortescue and its shining magnate are talking the talk. But can they walk the walk? Blake Matich reports.

Distributed energy specialist CleanPeak Energy will install a combined 5.4 MW of PV systems atop biscuit manufacturer Arnott’s Group’s two biggest Australian production facilities. The deal will also deliver an energy service agreement for the front-of-meter power at the company’s Huntingwood site in western Sydney as it looks to transition to 100% renewable electricity across its operations.

The Queensland government is forecasting a renewables-led manufacturing and jobs boom in the state with hundreds of Australian and international companies registering their interest in supplying the thousands of solar panels, batteries, wind turbines, and kilometres of transmission lines the state says it will need to deliver its $62 billion (USD 40 billion) energy transformation plan.

Construction has begun on a 50 MW/50 MWh battery near the outback city of Broken Hill which will be equipped with advanced inverter technology designed to improve system strength in regional New South Wales and support increased levels of renewable energy generation in the area.

Economist Ross Garnaut’s latest book, the Superpower Transformation, is promoted as a “practical plan” to put the vision of in his earlier Superpower into effect. Clive Hamilton, Professor of Public Ethics at Charles Sturt University, questions if the vision is premised on an imperfect logic.

The Victorian government has unveiled an ambitious plan to install 100 battery energy storage systems in neighbourhoods across the state by the end of 2026 as part of a broader strategy to support the rollout of more rooftop solar PV as it targets 95% renewables by 2035.

Australia’s Origin Energy is the target of an $18.4 billion (USD 11.3 billion) takeover bid by a consortium led by Canadian investment giant Brookfield Asset Management which plans to divide the business and invest another $20 billion by 2030 to support the gen-tailer’s transition to clean energy.

Queensland-based independent power producer ReNu Energy and aspiring green hydrogen manufacturer Countrywide Hydrogen will seek to advance its renewable hydrogen projects from concept to production after Australian superannuation fund HESTA agreed to invest up to $100 million (USD 64 million) to develop the facilities.