Australia

Sydney-based solar pioneer 5B has launched a $33.4 million tech innovation program, including a $14 million grant from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, designed to accelerate the delivery of ultra low cost solar. While a majority of the investment is portioned off for an advanced manufacturing pilot line, approximately a third of the available funds will be used to deliver GPS-guided solar deployment robots.

French renewables developer Neoen has started early works on its Goyder Renewables Zone, just north of Adelaide in South Australia. When completed, the project is likely to be the country’s largest wind, solar and battery storage project.

In the past fortnight, Rio Tinto, Fortescue Metals, and now BHP Group have all announced they will buy electric trains to haul iron ore across Western Australia. All three companies will purchase their electric locomotives either from Progress Rail or Wabtec, both U.S based.

Transport accounts for approximately 20% of the Victoria’s emissions while also being one of the more hard to decarbonise sectors. Due to its commitment to halve its emissions by 2030, the Victorian government has announced over $7 million in grands for a number of projects seeking to commercialise real world applications in the transport sector powered by renewable hydrogen.

Fortescue Future Industries has taken another step toward its global green hydrogen ambitions with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Germany polymer company Covestro for the equivalent of 100,000 tonnes of solar-sourced green hydrogen and its derivatives annually, starting as early as 2024.

While there are still many uncertainties as to the way in which hydrogen trade might evolve and change economic ties and political dynamics between countries, experts agree that green hydrogen can bring winds of change to the global energy arena. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, significant geoeconomic and geopolitical shifts are just around the corner.

The Australian arm of German-headquartered renewable energy developer BayWa r.e has added to its growing portfolio of solar PV projects with state and local governments providing the tick of approval for a proposed $18.9 million solar farm to be constructed near Wagga Wagga in New South Wales.

Western Australian renewables company Global Energy Ventures is steaming ahead with its plan to establish a massive 2.8 GW green hydrogen production and export facility on the Tiwi Islands off the coast of the Northern Territory, announcing it has already commenced the development program.

Australian green hydrogen production for export and domestic use could generate more than $50 billion in 2050 but how close are we really to a green hydrogen industry? And which states are best placed to host it? Swinburne University of Technology senior research fellow Steven Percy examines Australia’s green hydrogen marketplace.

The supply of indium, both for layers in silicon solar cells and some thin-film PV technologies, is increasingly seen as a future potential bottleneck that solar and other industries relying on the material will have to manage. Resolving indium supply concerns may be a case of rethinking mining waste and recycling, reports Ian Morse.