Opinion & Analysis

In recent weeks, the call from Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen to expedite planning decisions and approvals for new energy projects resonates as a crucial step towards Australia’s clean energy future. However, as we navigate through the challenges of meeting renewable energy targets, it is evident that more needs to be done.

With solar panel prices tumbling, project developers will need to be vigilant about quality. Comprehensive product testing could be a vital safeguard as PV manufacturers struggle to retain their margins, according to Everoze’s Martin Laing and Gauthier Dambrine.

Thursday, Feb. 22 marked another day in Australia’s energy records, along the Eastern seaboard. The hot and sunny conditions led to notable maximums in energy demand and supply.

With solar production capacity expansion plans paused, bigger cell makers will weather the storm through a revised approach to new panel technologies. InfoLink’s Alan Tu says that low profits could also drive innovation and cost savings, pushing the industry to new heights.

Australian nickel producers have an advantage over low-cost rivals in that production in the country is considerably more environmentally friendly than in neighbouring Indonesia. Nickel miners in Australia are currently facing low prices and fierce competition. Rob Nathan from Australian Tenders argues that sustainable nickel will be vital for the energy transition and is worthy of governmental support.

Half a million homes and businesses in Victoria were left without power late on Tuesday following a major power outage. While investigations are underway as to what worked well and what fell short of expectations, Roger Dargaville, the
director of the Monash Energy Institute at Monash University, says that the event demonstrated system strength.

With 2023, the hottest year on record, behind us, the COP28 global assembly addressing climate change took place in Dubai. Faced with a sobering reality that a proportion of the world’s net zero targets are progressing at a glacial pace, world leaders discussed how to accelerate our collective actions to mitigate climate change.

With the COP28 climate summit in Dubai resulting in a pledge of at least 11 TW of renewables generation capacity by 2030, Bruce Douglas, chief executive officer (CEO) of the Global Renewables Alliance (GRA), examines the outcomes of the conference and their likely impact on the solar industry.

Following strong global solar installation figures in 2023, Alexa Capital co-founder and partner Gerard Reid sees enormous potential for a renewables revolution.

The Australian government’s new gas deal is designed to head off any supply shortages at the end of the decade. Yet, the latest data shows that gas consumption dropped 16% in the October to December quarter compared with the same period a year earlier due to warmer temperatures in Victoria and lower commercial and industrial demand.