Australia

SA Water, one of the largest water utilities in Australia and most ambitious when it comes to renewable energy, has partnered with aerial solar inspection and data analysis company, Above, to monitor the performance of its 360,000+ solar panels.

The Australian National University today opened its Distributed Energy Resources Lab, dedicated to researching and testing technologies including batteries, solar panels and electric vehicles which it says will “underpin the energy grids of the future”.


Hydrogen vehicle maker, Hyzon Motors, has signed an agreement to deliver five fuel cell-powered heavy-duty trucks to Ark Energy Corporation, the Australian subsidiary of the world’s largest zinc, lead, and silver producer, Korea Zinc Ltd.

The proposed mega-project would be the world’s largest renewable hub if realised, with a massive 50 GW of solar and wind being used to produce either 3.5 million tonnes of green hydrogen or, alternatively, 20 million tonnes of green ammonia yearly. The $100 billion Western Green Energy Hub, as its called, is being proposed by two of the same companies behind the 26 GW Asia Renewable Energy Hub, which last month had its environmental approvals rejected by the federal environment minister.

Better known for its large-scale exploits, global solar module supplier and project developer Risen Energy Australia has lodged a development application to build a 5 MW utility-scale solar PV farm at Wagga Wagga in southern New South Wales.

The return of Barnaby Joyce to the federal National Party’s top job has highlighted tensions within, and dilemmas for, the broader party – particularly on climate change policy and coal.

A major hurdle confronting large-scale solar and wind projects in Australia has been addressed with the Australian Energy Market Commission fast-tracking a rule change governing how electricity generators connect to the grid.

Ongoing grid connection issues and concerns about Australia’s unpredictable regulatory and policy environment have been identified as the key culprits with a new report revealing investor confidence in the nation’s renewable energy sector has slumped to a five-year low.

Adelaide-based module maker Tindo Solar has notched a win for the Australian manufacturing sector, delivering the panels for a $2.4 million solar PV and battery energy storage program rolled out by the Queensland government.

The founders of Queensland-based start-up EVOS are confident Australia’s sluggish uptake of electric vehicles will continue to gather pace as they prepare to commercialise their charging and energy management software platform after securing $1.7 million in seed funding.