Turnbull points to pumped hydro as ‘ultimate’ storage solution
Pumped hydro energy storage is ideally positioned to support reliability and reduce volatility in the energy market as Australia shifts from fossil fuels towards renewable power with former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull labelling the technology the “ultimate long-duration storage” solution.
Power outages in WA may be a sign of what’s to come, independent review finds
The extensive power outages experienced in Western Australia last Christmas were a result of extreme weather rather than human failure, an independent review has found. The report’s author, AEMC’s Michelle Shepherd, notes such instances will likely become increasingly frequent with climate change.
NSW’s Sebastopol Solar Farm up and running
Renewables developer FRV Australia has announced its 90MW (AC) Sebastopol Solar Farm located in grid-challenged south of New South Wales is now operating at 100% of its capacity.
New ‘adaptive’ trackers for tricky terrain to cut both project cost and land disturbances
Nextracker has today launched its new terrain-following, single-axis tracker built specifically for projects on sloped, uneven, and challenging sites. Nextracker believes its new NX Horizon-XTR line will be market-shaping, especially in countries like Australia where opposition to land disturbances of utility-scale solar is growing.
Tesla to supply Megapacks for 150MW/350MWh Riverina big battery
Following the early success of its solar integrated Gannawarra Energy Storage System, Edify Energy has again opted for Tesla Megapack as its preferred battery energy storage system for its combination of storage projects totalling 150MW/300MWh in the Riverina region of New South Wales.
Canadian Solar launches 420W rooftop solar module with 21.5% efficiency
The new product is part of the company’s HiKu6 series based on 182mm wafers. Its temperature coefficient is 0.34% and its electrical characteristics are claimed to be compatible with the most common photovoltaic inverters thanks to current values below 14A.
Australia’s first hydrogen-fuelled garbage trucks to hit Queensland streets this year
Pure Hydrogen has entered into a partnership with Australia’s largest privately-owned waste management company, JJ Waste & Recycling, to build what it claims will be the country’s first ever hydrogen fuelled garbage truck.
Work on Queensland’s ‘truly green’ government-owned hydrogen plant to start in six months
Construction of the Kogan Renewable Hydrogen Demonstration Plant in Queensland’s Western Downs region is expected to start by September, with government-owned CS Energy, the plant’s operator, having finalised the EPC contract with IHI Engineering Australia to construct the project.
Sydney port to provide 100% renewable power to docked ships
Sydney’s Bay Port will soon be offering 100% renewably sourced power to docked ships, a world first for a dry-bulk precinct and the first in the Southern Hemisphere for a cruise terminal.
Could Russia’s actions in Ukraine accelerate renewables investment?
Given the goings-on in the world this last quarter, Mike Jefferies, Investment Manager at Octopus Investments Australia, takes a look at the current macroeconomic environment, how this is tied to energy markets, the impacts Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has had on that energy market, what this could mean for Australia and how renewables could help address these issues.
