Policy

Renewable energy supporters and unions were activated last weekend to attend simultaneous family events in Wollongong and Newcastle, NSW, Gippsland and Portland, Victoria, and Gladstone, Queensland in support of solar, wind, and large scale energy storage. The events stood in contrast to growing community resistance to renewables and electricity transmission projects.

Australia’s energy transition risks falling behind with a new report showing that the time required to plan, build and commission a large-scale solar farm is almost four years with the final stage of the process having blown out to six months or more.

Transgrid has released details of its preferred route for the northern portion of the VNI West interconnector project that will connect the New South Wales and Victoria electricity grids.

Elgin Energy’s Glanmire solar farm and battery energy storage system planned for the New South Wales Central Tablelands region has been given the tick of approval by the state’s Independent Planning Commission – subject to “strict” conditions set in recognition of community concerns.

The City of Melbourne has partnered with Origin Zero to deliver three battery energy storage systems as part of its plan to establish a network of co-ordinated community batteries across the city to better manage the increasing penetration of rooftop solar and periods of peak demand on the network.

The MidCoast Council in the New South Wales Hunter region has made the shift to solar to help power its water and sewer infrastructure as part of a broader commitment to powering all council operations with 100% renewable energy by 2040.

Renewables company ITP Development will continue to look for opportunities in regional New South Wales despite the Land and Environment Court having killed off the company’s plans to build a large-scale solar farm near Mudgee in the state’s central west.

Renewable energy generators chasing access rights to the new Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone network will be presented with a streamlined application process as the New South Wales government prioritises achieving financial close on the network project.

Western Australian motoring organisation RAC is trialling an electric roadside assistance van specifically designed to provide a mobile battery top-up service for electric vehicle drivers who run out of charge.

The Clean Energy Investor Group has warned that solar farms in southwest New South Wales and northwest Victoria could suffer from “large and unpredictable” swings in revenues because of material changes in marginal loss factors.