Ovida expands solar market into coal country with commercial microgrid PPAs
Ovida provides PPAs to businesses and multi-tenanted buildings, but the company is also working hard on a Community Energy Microgrid Hub and Victoria’s largest concentration of on-grid microgrids in the heart of Victorian coal country, the Latrobe Valley
Aquavoltaics in the Philippines
An EU funded solar-plus-storage project has been tendered in the Philippines. The United Nations is seeking bids for the system to support the seaweed industry on the island of Tawi-Tawi. Combining PV with aquaculture brings many advantages for both, including water conservation, a more controlled aquatic environment, and ecosystem restoration.
Battery start-up RedEarth raises funding to cater to local demand
The Brisbane-based energy storage manufacturer has raised $4.75 million in Series A funding from the Queensland Government Business Development Fund and Australian institutional and family investors.
Victoria introduces legislation to boost VRET to 50% by 2030
The Andrews Labor Government is delivering on last year’s election promise to boost renewable energy in Victoria and is seeking to legislate increasing its renewable energy target to 50% by 2030.
CEFC partners with Bank of Queensland to provide $100 million solar, storage, EV financing to businesses
The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) and the Bank of Queensland Finance Division (BOQF) are teaming up to provide $100 million in financing for clean energy upgrades to their facilities, equipment and fleets. The BOQF Energy Efficient Finance will provide loans at a 0.7% discount, drawing on the CEFC funds, to businesses looking to invest in upgrades and equipment that will reduce emissions and deliver savings on energy costs.
PM set to redirect $500m in aid to Pacific neighbours for renewables, climate resilience
In anticipation of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) in Tuvalu this week Prime Minister Scott Morrison is set to announce $500 million in foreign aid to partnering Pacific nations in the form of a climate change and oceans funding package for renewable energy investment and climate resilience.
Car industry copper demand to surge 250% due to EVs
By considering use of the metal in charging infrastructure, analyst Wood Mackenzie has found higher demand from the mobility sector than is the case if only the volume of the material required for vehicle construction is examined.
Using machine learning and cheap satellite data to design rooftop solar power
Researchers have built a tool to use cheap satellite imagery – like Google Maps – to automatically create solar designs with a 91% accuracy rate.
A close look at nature could lead to cheaper hydrogen
Scientists at the Australia National University have observed a key stage in the process of photosynthesis which could be copied to greatly increase the efficiency of sunlight-powered water splitting processes used to produce hydrogen.
Community solar to take Victoria town to 100% renewables
A 1.6 MW community solar farm will support the Victorian town of Natimuk to reach its target of being 100% powered by renewable energy. The project is underpinned by state government funding.
