Clean lucre: ARENA funds renewable-energy marketplace and derivatives
Encouraging money to chase firming of renewables is expected to be just one positive byproduct of a proposed new financial derivatives platform that will allow industry players to hedge against volatility in the pricing of renewable energy.
Morrison-Berejiklian energy deal: Opportunity for renewables or climate deal with the devil?
An energy deal struck between the Morrison and Berejiklian governments that will see more than $2 billion invested to increase gas supply and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the electricity sector has prompted a flurry of reactions that boil down to two conflicting interpretations of its purpose.
Renewables investment collapses due to network woes and policy uncertainty
In yet another confirmation of a dramatic drop in spending on large-scale renewables in Australia, a new analysis by the Clean Energy Council reveals a fall from 51 projects worth $10.7 billion in 2018 down to 28 projects worth $4.5 billion in 2019. Mounting regulatory risks, under-investment in transmission and policy uncertainty are the main reasons behind investment slow-down, which is set to put greater pressure on reliability and power prices as Australia’s old coal-fired power stations continue to close.
Glenrowan West Solar Farm set for construction after purchase by Germany’s Wirtgen Invest
Germany-based Wirtgen Invest has entered the large-scale Aussie solar market with the purchase of the 140 MW Glenrowan West Solar Farm, a significant project considering its location in one of the 2020 Integrated System Plan’s Renewable Energy Zones.
Solarwatt’s Vision glass-glass PV passes Aussie cyclone testing
Solarwatt’s Vision glass-glass solar PV modules have pushed the technology’s resilience even further after passing Aussie cyclone testing in Darwin. The success arouses new attention to the competing riders on the bifacial wave, glass-glass and backsheets.
NSW, Victorian hospitals turn to solar for lower power bills
Dozens of hospitals across Victoria and New South Wales are installing solar to slash their greenhouse emissions and electricity costs. In NSW, another four hospitals have received government funding to install solar panels, while the number of Victorian solar-powered health centers continues to rise.
Fortescue invests in solar-gas-battery project to power its Pilbara operations
Resources giant Fortescue Metals will invest $US450 million ($668 million) in the next stage of its Pilbara Energy Connect program to combine 150 MW of gas-fired generation, 150 MW of solar PV and a grid-scale battery. The hybrid generation project will provide low cost power to the Iron Bridge magnetite project currently under construction.
Australia’s first Tesla Powerwall four years on
Sydney’s Nick Pfitzner was the first Australian to install a Tesla Powerwall to go with their residential solar PV system. Four years on and the Pfitzners are living the solar + battery dream.
South Australia’s Home Battery Scheme now open to new builds
The SA Government’s standout Home Battery Scheme is now open to new home buyers and new builds. The expanded Scheme is already off to a flying start with the Stoddart Group promising to install 10,000 solar and battery systems over the next four years to create one of the world’s largest VPPs.
Global corporations set new record contracting 19.5 GW of wind and solar projects
Corporations contracted a record amount of wind and solar energy through power purchase agreements in 2019, up more than 40% from the previous year’s record, says a new report from BloombergNEF. The bulk of this purchasing occurred in the U.S. with tech companies and oil and gas majors leading the charge. In Australia, onsite solar projects delivering power to corporations nearly doubled to 1GW.
