Malaysian oil-backed company targets up to 8 GW in Australia, latest international player to invest multi-billions
Gentari, a subsidiary of Malaysian state-owned oil company Petronas, plans to build between 5 GW to 8 GW of solar, wind and battery projects in Australia by 2030. The ambition follows its acquisition and rebranding of Wirsol Energy, which marked the Malaysian company’s entry into the Australian renewable energy market.
‘No transition policy is going to be realised with current strategies’: shifting focus to existing grid’s untapped 10 GW
New digital modelling technology has made visible 10 GW of untapped capacity in Australia’s existing electricity networks. “That 10 GW number is probably achievable without any meaningful incremental cost investment,” Neara cofounder Jack Curtis tells pv magazine Australia. “This is something that’s really only come into awareness of policy makers, and even the private sector, in past six months.”
How to build, finance product stewardship scheme for solar panels
Researchers in Australia have provided a series of recommendations to set up regulatory frameworks for PV module recycling and reuse. They said that, as a rule of thumb, landfill bans, tracking of the panels’ serial numbers, and a clear definition of ownership should always be included in the legislation for end-of-life solar products.
Engineer report finds investment, not technology, is hamstringing Australia’s decarbonisation
A short report explaining upcoming challenges and solutions to electricity security has been published by the Australian Academy of Technology Sciences and Engineering (ATSE). The report calls for more investment to meet government targets and to keep consumer prices down.
Federal government unveils first community battery, district not selected on merit
The first of 400 planned community batteries has now come online in the Sydney district of Reid as per a promise Labor made while in opposition. The 412 kWh battery is sorting power from 50 households with rooftop solar and sharing electricity with approximately 150 households.
WA, Indonesia strengthen ties around critical minerals
Western Australia has signed an agreement to bolster its relationship with Indonesia around critical minerals and clean energy manufacturing – with both regions among the world’s leading producers for particular minerals.
NSW raises coal royalties, adding $2.7b to future budget
New South Wales has increased its coal royalty scheme for the first time since 2009 in a move that is expected to boost the state’s budget by more than $2.7 billion (USD 1.72b) from 2024 to 2028.
Urgent action required to become green hydrogen superpower
Joe Biden’s surreptitiously-named Inflation Reduction Act has been described as the world’s biggest piece of climate change legislation, as big in its impact as the Paris Climate Change Agreement. Scott Hamilton and Joanna Kay argue Australia must act now to keep capital and talent onshore.
Emissions reduction in Australia 30 times too slow for Paris targets, ‘green growth’ a myth
A new study assessing 11 high-income countries, including Australia, has found they are not reconciling their growth-based economic systems with actual, timely emissions reductions.
NSW government starts talks to extend life of Australia’s largest coal plant, Eraring
The New South Wales (NSW) government will now “start the conversation” with Origin Energy, owner of the Eraring power station, to keep the coal plant open beyond its scheduled retirement in August 2025.
