New South Wales

The City of Sydney Council has taken the first step to eliminate gas connections in all new residential and commercial properties across the municipality despite the New South Wales government having previously ruled out a statewide ban.

A group of Australian researchers say they have confirmed the benefits of combining rooftop solar installations with ‘green’ roofs with new research showing the combination increased solar generation by as much as 107% during peak periods.

Australian Farmland Services and AGL Energy are partnering on two additional microgrids for almond farms, including a substantial solar generation plan, and cut CO2 emissions by an estimated 10,900 tonnes over the course of a 20-year PPA.

New South Wales hydrogen technology company Hysata will install a 5 MW electrolyser unit adjacent to the coal-fired Stanwell Power Station in Queensland as part of a commercial-scale demonstration of its next generation tech.

Australia’s national science agency will lead a ‘smart buildings’ pilot project that has the potential to create a new ecosystem of technologies and solutions to support flexible demand for energy, offering a way to ease pressure on the grid during peak demand periods.

The size of Australia’s first coordinated renewable energy zone is set to be increased with the New South Wales government announcing the network capacity of the declared Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone will be expanded to better meet the state’s future energy needs as coal-fired power stations progressively retire.

Investors have lodged bids for 3.1 GW of wind and solar projects, along with 1.6 GW of long-duration storage projects, in response to the New South Wales government’s latest tender for renewable energy generation and storage capacity as it prepares for the exit of coal-fired power generation from the state’s electricity grid.

Newcastle-based clean energy company MGA Thermal has secured $8.25 million (USD 5.39 million) from domestic and international investors as it gears up for commercial scale production of its thermal long-duration energy storage solution.

Construction of the 350 MW Blind Creek solar farm and large-scale battery energy storage project planned for southeast New South Wales is set to begin next year with renewables developer Octopus Australia announcing the state government has now granted planning approval.

A 4 MW solar farm to be constructed at Kemps Creek in Western Sydney will be used to power a high-tech water recycling facility that will provide a water system to approximately 400,000 homes and businesses in the growth area.