Australia

Is there something fishy about Environment Minister Sussan Ley rejecting the Asian Renewable Energy Hub’s development application? The murkiness of the federal government’s drive to make Australia an exporter of hydrogen, of any hue, gives rise to concerns.

Gladys Berejiklian’s government in NSW surges ahead in the race to drive meaningful reductions in transport emissions; while a former NSW Liberal leader turns car washes into solar-powered charge stations!

The group behind an ambitious plan to develop more than 600 MW of solar PV and 600 MWh of energy storage in Victoria’s Gippsland region have announced planning for one of the projects included in the proposed three-pronged renewables portfolio is underway.

Solar PV module manufacturers have been put on notice with Environment Minister Sussan Ley warning they need to formulate a recycling strategy as the growing number of decommissioned panels threatens a waste management nightmare.

Legal doubts have emerged about the Morrison government’s proposed change for the Australian Renewable Energy Agency which would allow it to finance a broader range of technologies including some using fossil fuels.

Western Australia utility Horizon Power has achieved a major milestone with the coastal town of Onslow powered 100% by solar PV and battery during a successful trial of what is one of Australia’s largest distributed energy resource microgrids.

Wood MacKenzie’s energy transition modelling is predicting a primacy in the future low-carbon hydrogen economy for Australia. Thanks to the country’s solar irradiance and renewable energy expertise, as well as its relative proximity to major off-taker markets, Australia could be looking at export revenues of up to US$90 billion by 2050.

The Australian Energy Market Operator’s latest analysis of the Western Australian Wholesale Energy Market has found that investment in renewable generation and distributed solar is accelerating at a rapid pace, and importantly, that that acceleration is within the control of the state’s energy transition strategies.

In the world of renewable energy, the past carries charge. It can be an anchor, a learning curve, a hurdle. In Bundaberg, it’s quite literally the fuel for the future. And that green future is being energised by an unusual crew: its local government.

Australia’s determination to establish itself as a major player in the green hydrogen market has seen a flood of government funding and announced projects in recent months but new analysis from international consultancy firm Rystad Energy has highlighted a potential hurdle for the industry.