Oceania

With new modelling by PricewaterhouseCoopers Australia revealing that businesses will spend $3.7 billion on advisory services supporting their transition to a clean economy by 2030, the firm has launched a new unit designed to help facilitate the nation’s successful transition to a decarbonised economy.

The quickening exit of coal-fired generation from Australia’s energy mix – with 60% of capacity expected to be withdrawn from the National Electricity Market by 2030 – has emphasised the need for significant investment in renewable energy generation, storage, transmission, and system services.

The Australian arm of Spanish energy giant Iberdrola has broken ground on its 190 MW Avonlie Solar Farm with the ‘golden rows’ of solar panels installed at the project being developed in the New South Wales Riverina region.

Australian energy giant AGL Energy has revealed that Canadian fund manager Brookfield Asset Management has acquired a more than 2.5% stake in the power producer, renewing speculation it may mount a fresh tilt to take over the company.

The Australian Energy Market Operator has declared approximately $12.7 billion of investment in new transmission lines should begin “as urgently as possible” to accelerate the transition to renewable energy and energy storage, replace exiting coal-fired power plants, and deliver a more efficient and effective grid in eastern and south-eastern Australia.

The operator of the 150 MW/193 MWh Hornsdale Power Reserve in South Australia has been fined $900,000 after being sued by the Australian Energy Regulator for failing to deliver on its promise of providing services essential to maintaining the stability of the power grid.

Germany’s Institute for Solar Energy Research Hamelin has confirmed that Longi’s new n-type heterojunction solar cell has achieved a power conversion efficiency of 26.5%.

ASX-listed company Vulcan Energy announced a $76 million equity investment from one of the globe’s top five automakers, Stellantis, which owns brands like Peugeot, Citroen, Fiat, Chrysler and Opel. The deal, Vulcan managing director Francis Wedin told pv magazine Australia is one of number in the works as the European market clambers to secure not just lithium, but sustainably produced lithium, from the Aussie company. Wedin explains precisely how the company’s novel lithium extraction method works and why it finally affords properly green credentials a vital battery resource.

The Clean Energy Regulator has outlined the second round of changes coming to Australia’s solar rebate program, the small-scale renewable energy scheme (SRES). They primarily involve changing which body will manage solar designer and installer accreditations and who will publish approved solar panel and inverter equipment lists – both of which have formerly been the remit of the Clean Energy Council.

The Black Summer bushfires devastated parts of the Eurobodalla region in New South Wales. Then earlier this year, the area was hit by floods. As climate change threatens to bring more severe and frequent extreme weather events, how can we help future-proof such communities?