Markets & Policy

The Clean Energy Regulator has confirmed it has approved enough capacity to meet the Large-scale Renewable Energy Target (LRET). While this is a great achievement for the renewables industry, the question remains what comes beyond 2020. Although analysts expect a slow down, ANU researchers find the record installation rates will see Australia surpass the scrapped target of 41,000 GWh of renewable energy generation around the end of 2020.

The state plans to achieve half the amount by 2021-22 under its new draft solar policy. The package also suggests establishing a research hub, privately financed solar parks and encouraging commercial self-consumption of clean energy.

Two major solar panel manufacturers are looking to expand their presence in Australia with new distributors on board.

Only hours after the release of the boosted September allocation of rooftop PV rebates, Solar Victoria’s application portal crashed, leaving applicants frustrated.

The Australian Renewable Energy Arena (ARENA) has approved up to $9.41 million in conditional funding to Hazer Group for the construction and operation of a groundbreaking hydrogen production facility in Munster, Western Australia. The project is utilizing biogas produced at the treatment plant as feedstock to produce hydrogen and graphite.

The New South Wales (NSW) Government has declared TransGrid’s proposed 900km interconnector from South Australia (SA) to NSW to be a project of Critical State Significant Infrastructure (CSSI). This signifies a strong boost to the dearth of transmission infrastructure revealed by the rapid growth of renewables, particularly solar PV.

Copper miner Oz Minerals has announced its intention to source as much power as possible for its West Musgrave Project through solar PV and wind hybrid generation. The increasing cost of fossil fuels is driving many mining companies to seek renewable alternatives.

The state-run fossil fuel giant has partnered with an unnamed foreign start-up to produce electric vehicle batteries using raw materials easily available in India.

Newcastle, NSW, home to the world’s largest coal exporting harbour, has announced a plan to source 100% of the City of Newcastle’s power from renewable generation in a move that could save ratepayers millions in energy costs.

Today we have heard of farmers in Australia unhappy at the approval given for three solar projects on agricultural land and also learned the benefits PV can bring for fish and shrimp farmers. In this op-ed for pv magazine USA, Stoel Rives LLP attorneys Sara Bergan and Thomas Braun discuss the balancing act to be made between solar and agriculture in the emerging Midwestern PV market.