Australia

In late September, Western Australia’s government-owned electric utility registered an approximate AUD 657 million ($442.8 million) loss – much of it attributed to asset and contract writedowns. However, the utility was quick to blame rooftop PV for eating into its revenues, while fixed costs remained unchanged or increased. Revenues for the utility were down 4.7% for the year, to AUD 2.8 billion.

Ernst & Young Australia (EY) are calling for a significant capital injection into the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) at this week’s COAG Energy Council meeting. EY wants to expand AEMO’s powers toward fixing the nation’s embattled energy grid.

As part of the Andrews Government’s compromise with solar industry protestors after the initial dog’s breakfast of a Solar Homes program, Solar Victoria has established the Industry and Consumer Reference Group (ICRG).

The University of Queensland’s Warwick Solar Farm has won a coveted green award as the unique project nears completion.

The renewables investment arm of Octopus Group is seeking to raise up to £250 million ($475 million) through a major initial public offering for investment in onshore wind and solar assets in Europe and Australia. It aims to invest in already operating, in construction and construction-ready assets.

The possibilities presented by hydrogen are the subject of excited discussion across the world – and across Australia’s political divide, notoriously at war over energy policy.

The Sydney-based developer has received credit approval to fund two of its solar projects. The announcement comes only days after Genex resumed trading on the Australian stock exchange in the wake of the Northern Australian Infrastructure Fund’s decision to extend offer of funding for the 250 MW Kidston pumped storage hydro project.

There’s no shortage of action in the New South Wales renewable-energy scene, with some 19.4 GW of large-scale renewable energy projects approved or progressing through the planning system, and around 2.5 GW of grid-scale solar under construction. Plus there’s 2 GW of generation and 175 hours of storage planned for the pumped-hydro project known as Snowy 2.0 – and that’s just what’s happening at the big end of town.

New analysis from recruitment firm Robert Walters shows continued growth in the renewables sector is bringing continued growth in wages along with it.

The Clean Energy Council (CEC) is pushing for the COAG Energy Council to address the dramatic slowdown in investment in large-scale renewable energy when it meets this Friday, 22 November. The CEC believes the slowdown is the industry’s highest priority.