News

Up to $20 million of grants will be awarded for microgrid feasibility studies across Australia through the first round of the Federal Government’s Regional and Remote Communities Reliability Fund. The fund aims to provide more secure, affordable and reliable power to regional communities and save “hundreds of millions of dollars” on network upgrades.

Renewables developer Infigen has announced that the 25MW/52MWh Tesla battery at the Lake Bonney wind farm has been energised and registered with AEMO. The battery is expected to be fully commissioned by the year’s end.

Single-axis tracker deployment has increased dramatically in the past two-to-three years, both in terms of the number of PV plants adopting the technology and the sheer size of some tracking systems. Given this, durability in the face of high wind loads has been brought into sharp focus with new testing and calculation methods providing more certainty for EPCs, owners and investors.

Public policy think-tank Grattan Institute has released a new report on energy policy, or lack thereof. The report, entitled Power Play: How governments can better direct Australia’s electricity market, makes a comprehensive overview of the current state of affairs and makes concerted recommendations.

Lord Howe Island is set to finally receive a solution to its energy problems with the installation of a solar + battery storage system that will reduce its reliance on diesel fuel.

South Korean solar module maker Hanwha Q Cells has launched Q.Home in Australia, its new integrated residential solar power system which has seen success in the European market.

The new solar-powered EV charging stations with integrated energy storage are designed to support electric vehicles even in the height of summer. The technology is developed by Australia’s national science agency in collaboration with Nissan Australia and Delta Electronics and backed by funding from the Victorian Government.

The Consortium for Battery Innovation has outlined research goals for advanced lead-based battery concepts, claiming the potential of the technology is “nowhere near fully exploited”. The group, comprised of lead-battery industry stakeholders, says such devices can play an important role alongside lithium-ion and other storage technologies in electric vehicles, renewable energy storage and other applications.

Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has sharply criticised the Liberal Party for its inability to provide a coherent national energy policy. Turnbull questioned the conservative integrity of his old party on its 75th anniversary as the federal policy vacuum continues to have adverse effects on the market and renewable investment. 

The Clean Energy Council (CEC) will host its first Clean Energy Open Day at Wind and Solar farms across five states on Sunday 27 October. The Open Day is the perfect opportunity for those curious about renewable energies and the energy transition, or simply those on the hunt for a good sausage sizzle.