Australia

A $15 billion green hydrogen project that utilises solar powered water-from-air technology to save on the cost of hydrogen generation and save the precious water resources of arid regions, has received Major Project Status from the Northern Territory government and aims to be in commercial production by 2023.

Hitachi Energy has won Northern Territory Labor’s tender for the Darwin-Katherine ‘Big Battery’, which is expected to unlock more capacity for residential and industrial PV, generate cost savings of $9.8 million and pay for itself in approximately five years.

Australia’s Clean Energy Regulator will begin trials of its hydrogen Guarantee of Origin scheme. Backed by the Australian federal government, the scheme will aim to align with international standards and provide confidence to trading partners in the burgeoning industry.

Australia’s National Broadband Network Corporation, will be switching to 100% renewable electricity by the end of 2025, as part of the global RE100 renewable energy initiative. It is the first government business enterprise to join, according to RE100 Australia Coordinator, Jon Dee.

Perth-based Hybrid Systems Australia has opened its new much-expanded facility in the Western Australian capital ahead of significant expansion in the outlay of its stand-alone power systems to regional and remote parts of the state.

Large-scale renewable energy generators, including wind and solar PV farms will ramp up to 140 GW from the current 15 GW, more than doubling every decade to 2050 while rooftop solar is expected to increase from 15 GW to 70 GW over the same period as the “accelerating” transformation of Australia’s energy sector continues.

Swiss multinational commodities trader Trafigura and its majority owned metals manufacturing business Nyrstar have unveiled plans to construct a $750 million hydrogen manufacturing facility at the Port Pirie smelter in South Australia.

The energy transition and innovation arm of Italian energy company Enel Group is set deliver its first battery energy storage system in Australia, a “landmark project” which it said will help South Australian water utility Central Irrigation Trust “intelligently manage” its energy use.

Australian renewable energy developer Genex Power has penned an offtake agreement with Tesla that will smooth the way for it to secure finance for the 50 MW/100 MWh Bouldercombe Battery Project being developed near Rockhampton in central Queensland.

Australia’s solar PV panel manufacturing capacity is set to get a major boost with Melbourne-based RTE Energy confirming it plans to establish a large-scale heterojunction module factory in the Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct being developed in northern Queensland.