New South Wales

Complaints including a lack of women’s hygiene facilities and a precariously dangling shipping container are being taken up by the NSW and ACT Electrical Trades Union after workers say they’ve been met with deaf ears by the company managing the site of the Suntop Solar Farm in NSW’s Central West.

Greek energy company Mytilineos and its subsidiary Metka EGN continue to put down roots in the Australian market, signing a Power Purchasing Agreement which will allow construction to commence on its 23 MW extension to Wagga Wagga North Solar Farm. The extension comes after the company was fined in January for breaching its Aboriginal Heritage Impact Permit by commencing works without first notifying Heritage NSW, leading to the destruction of Indigenous artefacts.

Concerned that a lack of understanding in the community is hindering the uptake of rooftop solar, a New South Wales local council has struck an agreement with the Australian Energy Foundation in a bid to demystify solar PV and battery energy storage systems.

Commercial installation and service provider Solar Professionals will install almost 3 MW of solar PV across the rooftops of more than 800 homes in New South Wales after landing a new contract with the Aboriginal Housing Office (AHO).

A homegrown technology developed by the University of Newcastle and Southern Green Gas has seen the development of a novel green hydrogen fuel and carbon neutral green methane. The fuel was demonstrated in Hyundai’s Nexo hydrogen fuel cell SUV in Sydney.

The Australian Energy Market Commission has again rejected requests from transmission network operators TransGrid and ElectraNet to allow for a change of rules governing financing arrangements for large-scale transmission projects considered critical for Australia’s shift to 100% renewables.

Public transport operator Transdev will use a ‘green mobility megawall’ comprising 250 solar modules and 10 Tesla Powerwall units to charge two new electric buses which are set to be rolled out onto the streets of Brisbane.

Former prime minister Malcom Turnbull has been dumped from his role as chair of the New South Wales climate change advisory body by the Berejiklian government.

Blinds and awnings manufacturer Hunter Douglas will utilise the Enosi Powertracer platform to direct its oversupply of rooftop solar to benefit its workforce.

NSW is growing its renewable energy pipeline at pace. Many sun-drenched regions are understandably worried that their landscapes could be “de-natured” by the march of large-scale solar. The Independent Planning Commission process helps to bring the state’s needs in line with community concerns.