Sustainability

Australia’s first national Capacity Investment Scheme auction has been inundated with expressions of interest, with the federal government revealing that investors have tabled 40 GW of new renewable energy generation projects such as wind and solar.

Legislation to establish the Energy Security Corporation has passed in the New South Wales parliament and will be seeded with $1 billion for accelerating private clean energy investments, and specifically not to invest in nuclear or carbon capture and storage.

The Australian Capital Territory’s first of three Integrated Energy Plans paves the way to an all-electric, zero emissions future, starting with a focus on a just transition for all residents.

The first of 18 electric buses to be manufactured in Perth as part of a joint $250 million Western Australian and federal government initiative has been rolled out as the state pushes ahead with plans to decarbonise its public transport system.

Ibrahim Ariffin and JP Grayda, from Afry Management Consulting, examine two promising ASEAN markets, the Philippines and Malaysia, and the challenges they face as they strive to hit renewable energy targets. The long-term outlook is broadly positive, despite some uncertainties.

Melbourne’s RMIT University researchers are in Europe leading an international network focussed on advancing the reuse and recycling of solar panels, including critical mineral recovery.

Spanish renewable project developer Solarig has signed an agreement with Australian electricity and gas company Jemena to collaborate on the development of green hydrogen projects, dropping a pin on regional New South Wales.

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources in Indonesia has set a quota of 5,746 MW of rooftop solar to be deployed between 2024 and 2028. The Jakarta-based Institute for Essential Services Reform anticipates rooftop solar to be more commonly adopted by commercial and industrial consumers than residential users, following the abolishment of net-metering earlier this year.

Western Australia is on track to become home to the nation’s first clean energy training centre of excellence with the state and federal governments investing $70.5 million over five years to address labour shortages in Australia’s renewable energy transition.

A long-haul road trip along Australia’s east coast in an electric vehicle has demonstrated the nation’s readiness for the shift to full battery vehicles with the driver declaring the existing charging infrastructure has made range anxiety a thing of the past.