Freshly appointed Shadow Energy Minister, Bowen, eager to shift the renewable conversation in Australia
Chris Bowen, who was appointed Labor’s Minister for Climate Change and Energy after a reshuffle in January, told pv magazine Australia he’s keen to make job creation his core focus, framing renewable investment as a Covid recovery solution rather than the end of Australia’s historic coal mining industry, which has dominated Federal narrative.
States put faith in new bodies to guide on shift to renewables
The Queensland and New South Wales state governments have reaffirmed their commitment to the solar, wind and hydrogen industries with the establishment of new bodies which will help guide the states in their transition toward a renewable energy future.
One in a million, solar drives smart meters past the million milestone
Smart metering services provider Intellihub cracked the million meter mark this week as the smart meter market in Australia and New Zealand surges off the back of continuing solar uptake.
Regulator ranks AGL Australia’s biggest climate polluter
Australia’s largest energy retailer, AGL, is working towards net-zero emissions by 2050 but it can not come soon enough for some with new government data revealing the energy giant is the nation’s biggest polluter, emitting more than 42 million tonnes of carbon emissions in the past year.
Gransolar plans 13 big batteries for SA, Victoria, and NSW
Gransolar’s battery division, E22, will reportedly develop 13 large-scale batteries in South Australia, Victorian and NSW.
‘Counterintuitive’ union sees electricity retailer subsidise fast-growing Aussie energy management platform
Blue NRG, a business-only electricity retailer, has decided to partner with Melbourne-based energy management platform carbontrack in a union that Spiros Livadaras, carbontrack’s Managing Director, admits is somewhat surprising. “Obviously people are saying, why would a retailer join forces with an energy management technology company that helps them reduce their energy consumption – it’s kind of counterintuitive,” he told pv magazine Australia.
State-owned coal company seeks large-scale renewable projects to transition portfolio
The Queensland Government-owned energy company, Stanwell Corporation, has announced it is from today seeking expressions of interest from renewable energy projects to incorporate into its fossil-fuel heavy portfolio.
Bluescope says climate action is ‘not optional’, while opting not to take climate action
On the same day as Bluescope Steel announced massive profits and the creation of a new Chief Executive Climate Change, the steel giant also conceded that it was not fully committed to investing in ‘green steel’ solutions in the near future.
BloombergNEF expects up to 209 GW of new solar for this year
A new report from the U.S.-based analyst predicts that new PV additions for 2021 may range from 163 to 221 GW next year and from 179 to 240 GW in 2023. According to BloombergNEF, the current supply bottlenecks for glass and polysilicon will unlikely halt the global PV market.
WA deploys stand-alone power systems at properties affected by Perth Hills bushfire
Western Australia has officially extended the reach of its new darling: stand-alone power systems, or SAPS. In a state first, Government-owned network services provider Western Power has deployed units at two Perth Hills properties following bushfires earlier this month.
