Strategic Alliances

Australian renewable energy developer Genex Power has bought Queensland’s Bulli Creek storage project from Solar Choice, saying it plans to develop the site in five stages – the first of which will include a 400 MW / 1,600 MWh big battery.

Bringing on board gas giants APA Group, Inpex Corporation, Osaka Gas and distributor Jemena, AGL and Fortescue Future Industries say their Hunter Valley coal to hydrogen hub conversions could be as large as 2 GW – though the insistence on green hydrogen does appear somewhat muddied by the new partnerships.

The Australian government’s green bank has extended its collaboration with the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group, committing up to $200 million as part of a clean energy asset purchasing program to help Australian businesses invest in energy efficient and renewable technologies to cut costs and reduce emissions.

Queensland’s publicly-owned energy generator and retailer CleanCo has inked a long-term deal to supply shopping centre major Scentre Group with 100% renewable electricity for its Westfield centres across the state from 2025.

West Australian natural hydrogen startup H2EX will work with Australia’s national science agency, the CSIRO, to study natural hydrogen systems in South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula, describing the research as a “pivotal first step” for the nascent industry. Natural hydrogen proponents believe projects could deliver some of the world’s cheapest hydrogen quickly and with a minimal footprint.

Solar manufacturer Maxeon Solar Technologies has teamed with Adelaide-headquartered solar panel collection and recycling company Reclaim PV Recycling to recover and recycle SunPower branded solar panels in Australia.

Australian renewable energy and storage developer Genex Power has confirmed it is the target of a takeover bid having received an unsolicited offer of more than $300 million from a consortium of private equity firms led by Australian technology billionaire Scott Farquhar’s Skip Capital.

The Australian arm of global renewable energy developer Fotowatio Renewable Ventures has pointed to the refinancing of its 100 MW Lilyvale Solar Farm in Queensland as a sign of renewed investor confidence in the nation’s renewables sector.

Enel and Vulcan Energy are looking at the potential for lithium mining at a site near Rome.

Speaking at the Sydney Energy Forum, leaders from Australia and the US have highlighted the importance of not only transitioning to renewables, but of ensuring the supply chains used to make the technologies do not remain as concentrated as they are today.