Oceania

An estimated 13,000 rooftop solar PV customers in Australia’s far north face having their feed-in tariff for solar power exported to the grid slashed by more than half with the Northern Territory government revealing plans to usher in changes to the existing scheme from 1 July.

French renewables developer Engie continues to build its Australian clean energy portfolio with confirmation that its 120MW Silverleaf Solar Farm to be constructed near Narrabri in New South Wales has received development approval from the state government.

Japanese industrial heavyweight Sumitomo Corporation has declared a green hydrogen pilot plant to be built at resources giant Rio Tinto’s Yarwun alumina refinery near Gladstone in Queensland has the potential to shape the future of the heavy industry sector in Australia.

Three groups of companies remain in the race to serve as network operator for Australia’s first coordinated renewable energy zone with the New South Wales government revealing its shortlist of candidates.

A Western Australian solar PV company is being investigated by the Clean Energy Regulator amid concerns it falsified information relating to more than 500 solar panel installations that created about $1.7 million in Small-scale Technology Certificates.

The Greens are proposing to electrify an entire Australian town and a suburb in a major city, including providing electric vehicles for households, the party’s leader Adam Bandt has revealed. The proposed pilot, which would be enabled by a $235 million fund, was inspired by Australian Saul Griffith’s ‘electrify everything’ campaign.

Queensland government-owned utility CS Energy has signed a deal with ASX-listed gas company Senex Energy to develop the Kogan Renewable Hydrogen Demonstration Plant, which is set to produce 50 tonnes of green hydrogen annually from behind-the-meter solar PV energy.

Fortescue Future Industries continues to advance its green energy ambitions, announcing it will provide new funding for Dutch solar PV module maker HyET Solar in a move designed to accelerate a planned expansion of the company’s manufacturing plant in The Netherlands.

Plans for a massive green hydrogen and ammonia production facility powered by more than 5GW of wind and solar PV generation in Western Australia have been revealed with the proponents of the estimated $10 billion project lodging an environmental assessment with the state government this week.

The 300MW/450MWh Victorian big battery has proven a financial winner for French renewable power producer Neoen which has reported its first-quarter revenue has jumped by more than one third.