Canada

BHP has taken another step on the path towards a clean energy future with Canadian developer TransAlta Renewables switching on one of the world’s largest off-grid solar and battery energy storage systems that will help power the mining giant’s nickel operations in Western Australia.

Danish investment group Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners has tapped Canadian PV and battery manufacturing heavyweight Canadian Solar to provide the energy storage solution for the first of the multiple large-scale battery projects it has planned for Australia.

Australia’s antitrust watchdog has approved Brookfield’s takeover bid for Origin Energy, clearing the way for shareholders to vote on one of Australia’s largest recent corporate buyouts.

Fortescue Future Industries (FFI), owned by mining giant Fortescue Metals, has submitted a proposal for a green hydrogen and ammonia production facility project in Canada’s British Columbia. Dubbed ‘Project Coyote’ the facility would be located in the city of Prince George in the centre of the Canadian province.

Australian-headquartered resources giant Rio Tinto has announced it will build the largest solar power plant in Canada’s northwest territories to supply electricity to its Diavik Diamond Mine located about 200 kilometres below the Arctic Circle.

Brookfield’s bold ambitions for Australia have reached a new level with the global asset manager inking an agreement with India-headquartered multinational Reliance Industries to explore the production of solar panels, long-duration battery storage, and other renewable energy equipment in Australia.

Gas major Atco has ditched its plans for a commercial-scale green hydrogen manufacturing facility proposed for Western Australia’s remote midwest, saying the distance between the production facility and end use undermined the commercial viability of the project.

Researchers in Canada have found that nearly zero-energy buildings (NZEBs) with on-site solar energy generation should not exceed an energy use intensity (EUI) of 50 kWh/m2a, which they said corresponds to a maximum of 10 floors. They also ascertained that the maximum permitted EUI by net-zero energy status is 17–28 kWh/m2a.

Researchers are proposing to use steel zip ties to attach solar modules to fences in animal farms as a low-cost racking solution for agrivoltaic applications. They found the proposed approach is technically and economically viable, provided careful wind load tests are conducted on the fences.

A 325 MW/2,600 MWh pumped hydro project planned for the New South Wales central west faces an indefinite delay with developer Atco announcing it will hold off on the next stage of the regulatory approvals process until the state government’s policy frameworks “are close to being able to support financial investment decisions for large-scale infrastructure.”