NT’s shift to solar takes step foward with big battery milestone
The shift from fossil fuels to renewables in Australia’s top end has taken a significant step forward with pre-commission testing having commenced on the 35 MW/35 MWh Darwin-Katherine Battery Energy Storage System that will support further uptake of solar among households and businesses in the Northern Territory.
Utility-scale solar installation goes automated
Powered by installation robots, on-site assembly line and digital twin software, the Terabase automated power plant construction system aims to boost productivity and cut construction costs.
Building nature-friendly solar parks
Hungarian company SolServices has published a white paper outlining ways to make solar farms more compatible with nature and wildlife, from insects and amphibians to birds, bats, rodents and big game.
Weekend read: Indonesia’s race to net zero
Coal-dependent Indonesia has huge solar potential but progress toward a net zero economy has been sluggish, explain Daniel Kurniawan and Fabby Tumiwa from the Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR), an Indonesian thinktank.
Why Australia needs friends (and a climate AUKUS) to reach its climate goals
AUKUS has been widely hailed as Australia’s largest-ever defence investment and the Quad as a new focus for defence strategy – but what do they mean for our energy landscape? SMA’s Joshua Birmingham argues it’s time to look beyond defence cost and grow our relationships to fight the climate change war.
Territory targets ‘renewable energy hub’ with budget spend
The Northern Territory government has committed $12 million (USD 8.05 million) in its latest budget to accelerate the development of a “sustainable” industrial hub that will be largely powered by renewables as it looks to continue the overhaul of its electricity system.
Malaysia opens its renewable energy market to PPAs, cross-border trade
The Malaysian government is developing a new strategy to expand renewable energy use in the country and also boost the domestic renewable energy industry.
Australia to invest $2 billion in hydrogen
The Australian government has presented its 2023-2024 budget, with $2 billion (USD 1.35 billion) to be invested in hydrogen, while Austria, Germany, and Italy said they have started moving forward on a southern hydrogen corridor from North Africa to Northern Europe.
Influx of new companies and products enter Australia’s battery market
Battery companies hoping to get a foothold in Australia’s rapidly growing storage market were the main exhibitors at the Smart Energy Conference held in Sydney last week, outnumbering solar companies almost two-to-one. Pv magazine Australia looked at what is on offer and who the new hopefuls in the battery space are.
Green hydrogen funding a step forward – but a step doesn’t win race
It sounds like a lot. Kickstarting green hydrogen in Australia with $2 billion (USD 1.35 billion) to subsidise early production and making the energy-dense gas competitive. A goal of up to a gigawatt of electrolyser capacity within seven years.
