Markets & Policy

Scientists in Germany have estimated that roof and facade PV systems can cover almost 40% of the total requirements of a standard office building, assuming that no battery storage is installed.

Helen Haines, MP for the Victorian electorate of Indi, will today put a Bill before Parliament that would underwrite and provide technical support to community renewable energy projects in regional areas, and mandate the opportunity for community to buy in to large-scale projects.

In the middle of Australia’s most iconic natural landscape, the township of Jabiru has begun its transition from uranium-mine support community, to Indigenous cultural hub and tourism centre. The local arm of German renewable energy pioneer, juwi brings its deep experience in off-grid power systems to the project.

Large swaths of low-cost land: check. Lots of sun and wind: check. The ability to transport green hydrogen cost-effectively to energy importing economies: check. Then you’re in the race to become one of the “renewable energy superpowers” of the low-carbon economy. A growing number of countries are assessing their renewable resources and natural attributes and positioning themselves to become green hydrogen exporters. However, not all are created equal.

With a state election looming and a Liberal Opposition eager to embrace renewables, Western Australia’s McGowan government has announced a $259 million renewables-focussed package in a bid to retain power and primacy in the progressive space.

The West Australian Wholesale Energy Market (WEM) is in for a major shake-up with the State Government’s Energy Transformation Taskforce unveiling plans for a redesign which it said will fully integrate renewable energy – in all its guises – into the power system.

Former leader of The Nations, Barnaby Joyce, has put forward an amendment to the Coalition’s legislation for the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) which would allow the $10 billion “green bank” to invest in “high intensity, low emissions coal-fired power.”

The Australian Energy Market Operator’s second State of the System update, a sort of ‘Around-the-Grounds’ of the National Energy Market, has revealed that 2020 set new records for both number of new projects connected and new megawatts of generation.

The Ranger Uranium Mine, completely enclosed within the World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park, ceased production in January 2021 after years of financial losses. Now, as part of a multi-million dollar rejuvenation of the Park, a solar and battery storage hybrid project is set for development at the town of Jabiru, a project which will help the town replenish itself as a tourist hub for one of Australia’s greatest treasures.

January normally sees a spike in the average wholesale electricity price. This year, however, increased solar PV and wind generation have seen this traditional trend bucked.