Australia ranked fifth most attractive market for renewables investors
Australia ranks as the fifth most attractive destination for green investment and development opportunities according to multinational consultancy EY’s latest renewable energy country attractiveness index.
Bison commences commissioning phase with Cosgrove Solar Farm
Another small-scale solar farm has connected to the grid in Victoria with developer Bison Energy announcing that the 4.95 MW Cosgrove Solar Farm near Shepperton has powered up, marking the commencement of its commissioning phase.
400% increase in heat pump installations in NSW, rooftop solar continues to set records
Australians have installed a record number of both heat pumps and rooftop solar system this quarter, according to Clean Energy Regulator. If Q4, typically solar’s biggest quarter, proves substantial, the nation could match its annual rooftop record of 3.2 GW set in 2021.
AGL pairs with battery recycling startup to examine viability of recycling at its Hunter Energy Hub
AGL and Australian battery recycling startup, Renewable Metals, have signed a deal to investigate the viability of building a lithium battery recycling facility at AGL’s envisioned Hunter Energy Hub, formally one of Australia’s most significant coal centres.
NSW home to 13 of the top 20 performing solar farms in November
New South Wales was home to 13 of the top 20 performing solar farms in November, with the state generating 682 GWh from utility-scale PV. Overall, Australia’s large-scale renewable generation was up 7% from the previous November, Rystad’s Senior Renewables Analyst Dave Dixon said.
Redback Technologies compliant for flexible exports to Queensland grid
Redback Technologies has announced inverters certified as compliant with Queensland’s dynamic connections for energy exports. This enables homeowners to export energy back into the grid at a flexible rate so that energy output is only limited in roughly 2% of the time when excess power from PV installations would overwhelm the grid.
Rooftop solar is crushing* the returns for large-scale VRE
* rooftop PV is a dominant factor, though there are others… such as the ongoing need for ‘Keeping the Lights on Services’ (which large-scale VRE largely does not supply).
Australian lithium, critical minerals, with Chinese ties unlikely to cash in on US IRA subsidies
A number of Australian critical minerals, including lithium, miners and refiners will likely be ineligible for IRA subsidies after the US government published its draft rules forbidding access to enterprises with over a 25% stake held by Chinese companies or “cumulatively” by Chinese investors.
Piling subcontractor fined $40,000 after explosion on Western Downs solar farm
A Queensland court has fined a subcontractor providing piling services at Columboola Solar Farm* $40,000 (USD 26,300) for failing to comply with a health and safety standards after an aerosol can explosion caused a metal bar to strike a worker.
Zen Energy inks deal to supply Queensland shopping centres with solar energy from Blue Grass
Zen Energy has inked a six-year deal with Australian property fund manager ISPT to supply 14 different Queensland shopping centres and commercial properties with power from the 200 MW Blue Grass Solar Farm.
