Markets & Policy

New South Wales-based gravitational energy storage technology company Green Gravity will repurpose shafts in two Queensland copper mines scheduled to close in 2025, to store renewable energy.

Rooftop solar has outshone other renewables in Q3 2024, contributing 38.5% of generation ahead of grid-scale solar, 18.3% and wind,13.4%, while new capacity progressing through the connection phase grew 36% and battery projects, by 87%, compared to Q3 2023.

Queensland-based energy tech company AnteoTech has secured almost $4 million in funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency to help fast-track the development of its silicon-dominant lithium-ion battery anode technology.

Labelled the “most difficult” in the world, Australia’s regulatory environment and grid connection process for new large-scale renewable energy generation and storage has also been lauded as the standard bearer for the global market.

The Clean Energy Regulator’s decision to suspend online trading platform Greenbot from participating in the Australian government’s rooftop solar rebate scheme has been reinstated by the Federal Court.

Deal for 50.03% of Lightsource BP leaves oil and gas giant with total control of renewables developer. Lightsource BP is expected to continue trading with a standalone operating model, retaining its independent brand.

With hailstorms in Australia and the United States severely damaging solar arrays – including “golf-ball sized” hail at the 350 MW Fighting Jays project in Texas in March 2024 – insurers are raising premiums and reducing or canceling hail coverage. Everoze Partner Simon Mason discusses the challenges the industry faces in minimising its hail risk exposure.

Researchers from Monash and the University of Queensland have developed a nanofiltration technology to extract lithium from low-grade saltwater brines with high magnesium content. “Our technology achieves 90 percent lithium recovery, nearly double the performance of traditional methods, while dramatically reducing the time required for extraction from years to mere weeks,” researcher Dr Zhikao Li said.

While Australia continues to be a revelatory solar market internationally, it lost its place in the top 10 solar installers globally in 2023, the IEA PVPS team reports. According to Renate Egan, Executive Director for the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics, it is the first time in 30 years Australia has dropped off that list. “What’s sad is that the rest of the world is now taking off and investing in solar and we’re falling behind,” she said at Melbourne’s All Energy on Thursday.

A Western Australian trio developing a novel ‘closed loop process’ for producing high purity alumina used in lithium-ion batteries has secured a $2.87 million grant from the Australian government.