Policy

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has unveiled a big-spending Budget but critics have been quick to condemn the lack of money set aside for renewable energy as a “national shame” and missed opportunity as the government continues to pursue its gas-led philosophy.

Based on current market prices, the five-year contract could be worth almost $4 billion to the $1 billion company, but the TOPCon manufacturer has not publicised the price at which it will supply and install modules for its state-owned sponsor.

Queensland is likely to join Victoria in dissension on the Australian Energy Market Commission’s draft determination which is being called a tax on solar. The Queensland Energy Minister, Mick de Brenni, has criticised the plan. Could this be the domino which brings the other states and territories falling into place against a rule change?

While Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is putting the finishing touches on the Federal Budget, the Northern Territory Government has already rolled out its 2021-22 Budget and solar PV and battery storage are among its spending priorities with an extra $4.8 million invested in existing renewable energy schemes.

More than 100 Australian businesses, including some of the country’s largest, have banded together to put pressure on government to commit at least 1% of GDP to a green energy recovery in the May budget and to ensure a more equitable transition to renewables for marginalised Australians.

A clean energy investment firm based in Canada but already with a growing portfolio in Australia has set out an expansion plan in excess of $2 billion and 1.3 GW for the creation of a Renewable Energy Hub of South Australia, including at least three massive solar projects, two of which would supply South Australia’s green hydrogen ambitions.

Victoria is now offering subsidies on electric and hydrogen fuel cell cars and will power its government operations with 100% renewable energy by 2025 as part of its long awaited Climate Change Strategy. The plan essentially offers a roadmap for the state’s 2050 net zero emissions target, including a number of nearer term goals.

On New South Wales’s Northern Rivers the Tweed Shire Council has unanimously voted to push into the second phase of its pursuit of net zero emissions from its electricity usage by 2030. The move will see the Council’s solar capacity almost triple through 10 new solar installations.

Recommendations by the NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal will see payback times for solar systems extended, but also favour battery uptake.

The National Energy Administration has ordered grid companies to supply enough network connection points for all the solar and wind projects registered in 2019 and 2020, and said variable renewables should be supplying 11% of the nation’s electricity by the end of the year.