Thousands of South Australian households rush to install batteries
In the five weeks between subsidy step-down being announced and implemented under the $100 million Home Battery Scheme, more than 5,000 subsidies were approved.
Falling power prices could benefit mega-sized solar and wind projects
The Covid-19 pandemic will create a “perfect storm” for the wholesale electricity market as lower demand comes together with lower gas prices and large-scale solar and wind being commissioned to depress power prices, finds a report by Melbourne-based consultancy RepuTex.
Covid-19 to pause gigawatts of wind and solar project in Australia
The pandemic will postpone or cancel the financial close of some 3 GW of solar and wind in Australia, according to Norwegian consultancy Rystad Energy, as the falling Australian dollar renders projects uneconomical. The biggest loser among the states will be New South Wales.
Europe can be 60% powered by solar before 2050
A study by Solarpower Europe and LUT: Three different cases for the transformation of the European energy system were examined in this study. The more ambitious scenario with 100% renewable energy and a high proportion of PV might be cheaper than less ambitious paths to a green Europe.
ARENA launches $70 million hydrogen funding round
To achieve the goal of ‘H2 under $2’, ARENA has opened the $70 million Renewable Hydrogen Deployment Funding Round for expression of interest from large scale renewable hydrogen projects.
Sustainable Australia Fund announces special terms to support the solar industry
The Sustainable Australia Fund is launching special financing terms for the solar industry to mediate the impact of Covid-19. The terms seek to put immediate cash savings in the hands of businesses.
JinkoSolar says US authorities see no violation of Hanwha Q-Cells patent
The patentability of Korean company Hanwha’s technology is being examined by a U.S. commission, according to Jinko. The Chinese manufacturer said it expects a final decision by December.
‘Super-peak’ firming contracts open up new opportunities for battery storage
What makes this contract different is it covers only the high-demand hours when rooftop PV output is low, opening new markets for on-demand energy resources, such as battery storage. This and other standardized hedge contracts designed for clean energy technologies are hosted on Renewable Energy Hub’s digital firming marketplace.
NT Solar installations fall as FIT slashed by 66%
The Northern Territory Government stated openly that it would fund its new household and business battery scheme by massively reducing the feed-in tariff paid to new rooftop generators. The immediate result seems to have been an instant retreat from rooftop solar installation that threatens NT solar businesses.
NEM 5-minute settlement delayed until 2022
Australia’s energy regulators say their COVID-19 power plan released last week is designed to ease regulatory pressure on the industry and strike a balance on reforms and changes: some must continue at pace while others will be slowed or deferred.
