Australia

Hydro Tasmania has released a white paper pushing the island state’s claims to become the Battery of the Nation via upgrades to the Victoria-Tasmania interconnector, an effort to unblock the backlog of solar and wind.

Across Australia shopping centres are starting to realise their expansive car parks are the perfect solar farms. Not only do the centres get solar energy at peak times, but customers can avoid the real threat of car-related bodily burns by parking in the shade of a solar array.

While it seeks to build one of Australia’s biggest coal mines, Adani has grown more cautious on solar investment after suffering connection delays on its first renewables project in Australia.

AGL, Australia’s biggest power producer, has inked a deal that will see the development of four large-scale batteries in NSW. The agreement is an attempt to secure against fluctuating prices during peak periods.

Professor Chee Mun Chong is at the forefront of advanced hydrogenation, effectively doping solar cells with hydrogen to eliminate defects and build efficiency.

The Morrison government has extended an extra $1 billion to the Clean Energy Finance Corporation to invest in energy storage projects, transmission and distribution infrastructure and grid stabilizing technologies.

Urbnsurf Melbourne, Australia’s first full-sized surf park is set to open in Tullamarine this summer 2019/2020. The project is not only exciting for all those sullen landlocked surfers out there, but because the whole park is set to be renewably powered.

The Sydney Opera House has become Australia’s first major arts institution to commit to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, it is but another step the famous landmark is making as a standout in sustainability.

The City of Fremantle is not shy of trying something new and sustainable. Freo’s latest experiment, an EV rubbish truck called EVie that will rumble, or hum rather, along the streets for the next month.

The Federal and the New South Wales governments will jointly contribute $102 million to increase the capacity of an existing interconnector between New South Wales and Queensland in the run-up to the planned closure of the Liddel coal generator in 2023.