Watchdog takes Pelican Point Power Station to court for 2017 SA blackouts
The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) has taken Pelican Point Power Station to Federal Court for alleged breaches in the National Electricity Rules (NER). The AER alleges that Pelican Point failed to adequately disclose its generative capability to Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO).
Food and energy tussle as Victoria approves three controversial new solar farms
The Andrews Government has approved three new solar farms in the Shepparton region with a combined generative power of 175 MW. However, some residents are upset at the loss of prime agricultural land and the now redundant irrigation equipment which had been upgraded through government grants.
Super fund leads nation’s largest infrastructure to emissions reduction targets
Industry superannuation fund manager IFM Investors has announced an ‘unprecedented’ set of Australia’s largest infrastructure assets have set firm emissions targets which are expected to be met with large-scale solar uptake.
ARENA announces $15 million in funding for ultra-fast EV highway
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) will top up Evie Networks ultra-fast battery electric vehicle (EV) charging network throughout Australia’s highways with $15 million in federal funding.
Victorian industrial agriculture joins rapid uptake in rooftop solar
One of Victoria’s largest industrial solar power stations has been built at the Nine Mile Fresh apple processing and packing facility in South East Gippsland, a 1.4 MW system that will save the high-tech industrial agriculture business at least a third on its spiralling energy bills.
Every panel for itself! How to make a solar farm yield 20-25% more power
CQSola, the startup company of Australian energy innovators Ian and Tony Schirmer, will soon begin manufacturing a DC optimiser that promises to solve many of the inherent problems of solar farming, increase energy output, and drive greater insights into large-scale solar energy production.
John Laing puts new investment in Australian renewables projects on hold
John Laing Group has reported losses in Australia of some $121 million — said to be due to transmission factors on three of its renewable-energy projects — leading the company to write down the value of those projects and suspend new investment in Australian renewable generation.
AEMO’s 2019 ESOO Report forecasts a summer punctuated by ‘tail risk’ outages
The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has today released its 2019 Electricity Statement of Opportunities (ESOO), a forecast of the supply and demand conditions across the National Electricity Market (NEM) as the country moves toward the 2019-20 summer. AEMO warned that a dearth of short and longer-term investment in dispatchable resources and transmission will ensure real-world impacts this summer.
Shell’s ERM Power takeover bid could shift Australia’s energy landscape
Energy giant Shell has launched a takeover bid of Australian gas-only electricity retailer ERM Power as part of its strategy to transition to electricity and its ambition to become the biggest generator in the world. Wood Mackenzie analysis suggests Shell is expanding into other global power markets.
Canadian Solar continues to expand operations and maintenance fleet
The Chinese-Canadian solar giant’s Operations & Maintenance (O&M) portfolio in Australia is now over 875 MWp after the company announced it had sealed deals with three solar PV plants coming in at a combined capacity of 300 MWp.
