Australia

In the second piece of rare earths news this month, construction has begun on Lynas Rare Earths’ new processing facility in Kalgoorlie. The refined products are used in batteries and other renewable technology, with Lynas moving the processing it currently does in Malaysia onshore for the first time.

Compared to fossil fuels, the renewable industries’ lobbying is weak and the sector does not advocate for itself with enough force, Independent MP Zali Steggall said yesterday.

Over 90% of Australia’s fuel is imported – something recent geopolitical events have illustrated is a serious vulnerability. This issue was the focus of an emergency fuel security summit held yesterday in Sydney. The event was attended by a number of industry leaders and independent members and candidates who put forward solutions to tackle the devolving situation.

The results from solar glass company ClearVue’s greenhouse trials at Murdoch University have found the company’s product performed better than predicted overall, demonstrating both strong power generation and thermal value.

Lightsource bp’s ambitious solar capacity target of 25 GW by 2025 is driving significant expansion of its Australian portfolio, including its most recent proposal of the 400 MW Gundary Solar Farm south of Goulburn, NSW.

Australia’s Macquarie is leading a consortium that has reportedly tabled a €2.5 billion ($3.65 billion) bid for a clean energy business formed by French private equity houses InfraVia and Eurazeo.

With its promise of cheap, easy ‘god molecules’ flowing inexhaustibly from the ground, it’s no wonder natural hydrogen is piquing interest. Sometimes referred to as ‘gold’ or ‘white’ hydrogen, Avon McIntyre, executive director of HyTerra, an Australian company in the space, told pv magazine Australia natural hydrogen projects should have smaller carbon footprints than sprawling green hydrogen plays and, moreover, would be ready quicker. Enticing as it sounds, unknowns remain.

Australia’s inventories of critical materials for batteries have seen major increases recently, with vanadium up 23%, lithium up 8%, rare earths up 4% and platinum group elements up 185% in the year to December 2020.

West Australian company Vulcan Energy Resources, backed by mining magnate Gina Rinehart, has signed a geothermal heat energy offtake agreement with a major German energy supplier, MVV Energie. Vulcan is planning to eventually secure a lithium supply from the same deep brine source in the Upper Rhine Valley, Germany.

Australia’s most powerful energy industry participants have actively resisted the move to a low-carbon economy. Now, the country known as a sandbox for technology has become a sandbox for a new model for decarbonisation – one which has seen billionaires and giant fund managers sidestep politics to use the free market in strategic and potentially disruptive ways. pv magazine Australia’s Bella Peacock reports.