Oceania

The Smart Energy Council’s Zero Carbon Certification Scheme continues to gain traction with ammonia producer Yara the latest to sign on as a founding partner as it seeks to guarantee the green credentials of its products for customers both here and overseas.

Tesla has revealed it expects to spend more than $1 billion a year on raw materials from Australia for its batteries but the electric vehicles giant said the nation has the chance to secure a much more lucrative slice of the global supply chain as the world transitions to renewable energy.

The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial analysis (IEEFA) has published a report in which it points to seven key lessons energy planners the world over can take from South Australia’s extraordinary renewable energy integration. However, even South Australia, IEEFA’s model, still requires thoughtful planning and policy for the path forward.

Australia’s single axis tracker market has been deemed “highly concentrated” with just two companies, Nextracker and Array Technologies, commanding 77% of the market, the equivalent of 5.8 GW AC, according to analysis from Rystad Energy RenewableCube.

New South Wales’ Productivity Commission has called on the state to reform its energy and water regulations, among other recommendations, in the White Paper report published this week.

Whilst automated rebidding got some coverage from the most recent Australian Electricity Market Operator (AEMO) Quarterly Energy Dynamics, something else happened in the quarter that seemed to get less attention but is possibly much more important to operations for wind, solar and battery owners in the National Electricity Market (NEM).

Chief Executive of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, Darren Miller, says he envisions a future where Australia will produce up to ten times more clean electricity than the country requires to become a “shining example of what is possible if you have the right ingredients and the right ambition.”

5B, the Sydney-based modular solar manufacturer has successfully completed its most recent $12 million funding round, and along with the continued support of existing investors, the clean technology company also received investment support from former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Smart Energy Council Director Simon Holmes à Court. 

The Housing SA Tesla VPP is being expanded to include a trial of 20 homes unsuitable for solar installation. The SA Government is offering free Tesla batteries to such homes to show how participation in the VPP with a battery alone can still deliver significant savings.

Western Australia-based oil and gas company Prominence Energy has become the latest fossil fuel company to enter the hydrogen market by acquiring a 20% stake in Patriot Hydrogen.