Markets & Policy

The Queensland government has committed $2.5 million to progress the development of an “Australian first” solar panel recycling scheme in preparation for the “thousands” of PV panels installed on rooftops and across large-scale solar farms in the state that are approaching end of life.

Australia has firmly established its status as a global leader in residential solar deployment with 35% of all houses having already installed rooftop systems but new data reveals there is almost 50 GW of “untapped PV potential” on residential buildings across the country.

The company behind the 250 MW / 2 GWh Kidston pumped hydro project being developed in north Queensland has given the tick of approval to a $381 million takeover bid from Japanese energy giant J-Power.

The Silicon to Solar report, partly funded by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, outlines ways to restore solar manufacturing to the nation with a little help from the country’s major trading partner – China.

Australia’s largest energy retailer Origin Energy Limited (Origin) has entered into an agreement with Belgian company Virya Energy to acquire the Yanco Delta renewables project that comprises an 800 MWh battery energy storage system coupled with a 1.5 GW wind farm in southern New South Wales.

Endeavour Energy has activated the first community battery on its network in the New South Wales South Coast as part of a broader program the electricity distributor says will support a higher uptake of renewables and allow more households to access the benefits of rooftop solar.

Zen Energy has received a greenlight from New South Wales state-owned corporation WaterNSW to investigate transforming Sydney’s biggest water storage facility into a 1 GW pumped hydro project capable of supplying on-demand power for up to eight hours.

Australian-owned renewable energy investor and developer Quinbrook Infrastructure has announced financial close and the start of construction on a 250 MW / 500 MWh battery energy storage system that will form the first stage of a $2.5 billion renewables-powered data storage precinct in Queensland.

The federal government has unveiled plans for a Future Made in Australia Act, proposing taxpayer-funded incentives to advance renewable energy industries, manufacturing, and infrastructure to stake Australia’s place in the global clean energy race.

The head of one of Australia’s largest energy generators, retailers and developers has pointed to rising costs and uncertainty about recovering those costs as the cause of a drop in investment for large-scale renewables that threatens Australia’s clean energy goals.