Oceania

A major jump in small-scale air source heat pump installations has been illustrated by the Clean Energy Regulator’s latest Carbon Market Report. Australia’s large-scale renewables segment, however, is languishing with the Regulator knocking its 2023 final investment decision (FID) forecasts down from 3.5 GW to 2.5 GW. Just a 0.5 GW has reach FID in 2023 so far.

Vanadium explorers Technology Metals Australia and Australian Vanadium Limited will look to accelerate the development of the critical battery mineral in Western Australia after agreeing to a merger of their adjoining projects in the state’s mid-west.

Economic modelling published by independent think tank Beyond Zero Emissions shows that establishing clean industry hubs and servicing them through shared infrastructure such as transmission lines could save Australian taxpayers millions.

A new $10 million (USD 6.42 million) grants initiative that eliminates the need for Victorian companies that install solar panels, solar hot water systems and heat pumps at scale to apply for individual rebates is now open for expressions of interest.

Plans to develop a large-scale green hydrogen production and export facility at Port Bonython in South Australia have received a significant boost with the state and federal governments investing $100 million (USD 64.4 million) to develop infrastructure that will support the proposed $593 million project.

The International Energy Agency has warned that lagging policy support, rising costs, and supply chain disruptions threaten the profitability of low-emission hydrogen, meanwhile the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) has identified hydrogen seeps in South Australia.

An Alspec building in NSW with a rooftop unable to support traditional solar PV modules adopted GoodWe’s lightweight Galaxy Series, which requires no racking and has ultra-thing glass to save weight.

French renewable energy giant Neoen has been given the green light for another grid-scale battery in Australia with Tasmania’s Northern Midlands Council unanimously approving plans for a 280 MW/560 MWh battery energy storage system to be built in the island state’s mid-north.

The Australian Energy Market Commission has declared regulatory reform is required to maximise the benefits of the “record amounts” of household energy devices including rooftop solar systems and small-scale batteries that are connecting to the power grid.

Brookfield’s plans to acquire Origin Energy face a potential snag with the energy company’s largest shareholder, AustralianSuper, saying the $18.7 billion (USD 12 billion) takeover deal offered by the Canadian investment giant “substantially” undervalues the business.