Oceania

Australian deployment of battery storage remained steady in 2021, according to market research firm SunWiz, bringing cumulative installations to 1,089MWh.

The University of New England’s own 3.2MW solar farm is proving its worth in more ways than one, not only as an independent renewable energy source for the university, but also as the setting of a pilot study to better understand the impact of large-scale solar on biodiversity. The study aims to learn whether solar plants are useful habitats for wildlife and if simple land management strategies during construction could better cater to native species.

The University of Sydney, Australia’s oldest, has signed a contract with Snowy Hydro and its subsidiary Red Energy to match “100%” of its energy consumption with renewables, in particular solar.

The Greens have announced a $6.1 billion plan to boost the uptake of electric vehicles and reestablish auto manufacturing in its previous hub, South Australia.

Australian engineering company Worley will help develop a $39 billion green hydrogen project in Oman.

Hertz, one of Australia and indeed the world’s biggest car rental companies, has announced it will be adding up to 65,000 new electric vehicles (EVs) to its fleet. While the percentage of those bound for Australia is still being negotiated, it adds to the rapid growth of our EV market – albeit from a low baseline.

Western Australian miner Iluka Resources will build Australia’s first integrated rare earths refinery to supply electric vehicle and renewable energy industries. The project has been enabled by a $1.25 billion loan from the Commonwealth government and is part of a broader push within Australia to establish ourselves as a serious alternative to China for the supply of processed critical minerals.

The 7.5MW Cosgrove solar farm in central Victoria has reached financial close and will begin construction as soon as next month after its owners, Bison Energy, reached an agreement with an undisclosed Australian superannuation fund.

Australia’s largest hybrid solar and battery project, the New England Solar Farm & Battery Project in northern New South Wales, has reached a new milestone over the weekend following the delivery of the first of two massive 250 MVA transformers.

The Western Australian Government has announced $1 million in funding for the first phase of a feasibility study into a 600-800MWh battery and green hydrogen industrial hub in the coal town of Collie. The state government has promised the town, which has been powering Western Australia with its two coal mines since the 1880s, a ‘just transition.’ Sunshot Energy, chaired by eminent energy economist Ross Garnaut, is undertaking the study which could deliver a ‘just transition’ to Collie and green ammonia and urea to the agricultural and industrial sectors.