Native forest wood waste burning to be excluded from ‘renewable’ classification, Senate report recommends
As Australia’s Climate Change Bill 2022 progresses through parliament, a Senate committee has recommended using wood waste from native forests to generate electricity should no longer be classified as “renewable energy.” It is not yet clear what impact such changes would have on the growing pipeline of Australian ‘biomass’ projects.
Largest DC-coupled hybrid project in Australia acquired by Spanish company in major expansion strategy
Spanish power and gas provider Naturgy has acquired its first PV project in Australia – the Cunderdin hybrid solar + storage project east of Perth in WA. The project is set to be the country’s largest DC-coupled project to date.
Energy Renaissance moves ahead with battery giga-factory
Australia’s first lithium-ion battery giga-factory is expected to begin operations soon with battery manufacturer Energy Renaissance announcing the successful completion of a $1.47 million pilot program designed to develop and test its manufacturing processes, systems and plant design.
H2X goes to market with hydrogen electricity generators
Clean energy start-up H2X Global has notched a major milestone with the first of its hydrogen-powered generators – built to replace traditional fossil-fuel fired gensets and provide green electricity for emergency supply and off-grid operations – released to the Australian market.
CEC warns labour and skills shortages threaten clean energy transition
Australia’s transition to a clean energy future is at risk with a new report indicating the nation’s quickening shift to a grid dominated by renewables has resulted in labour and skills shortages that could deepen as the sector continues to grow.
WA company expands R&D to test technology it claims boosts lithium-ion battery capacity by 30%
West Australian company Altech Chemicals has expanded its research and development laboratories to test how its “breakthrough” alumina-coated silicon for lithium-ion battery anodes performs for higher powered applications.
US battery manufacturer enters Australia through 1.7 GWh deal with BlackRock’s Akaysha
US battery company Powin has agreed to deploy 1.7 GWh of energy storage systems in Australia over the next two years after entering a partnership with Victorian developer Akaysha Energy. The news tops a big month for Akaysha which was acquired by US giant BlackRock two weeks ago.
Decade of unreliability: renewable projects and transmission ‘urgently’ needed as Australia stares down coal closures
The Australian Energy Market Operator warns every Australian jurisdiction in the national grid could see electricity demand outstripping supply within the decade – though only if anticipated renewable projects do not come to fruition.
Wollongong university green hydrogen breakthrough team awarded grant for cell extracting hydrogen in methane
The University of Wollongong professor behind the capillary-fed electrolyser breakthrough now being commercialised by Hysata has received grant funding to develop a cell for extracting pure hydrogen from methane mixtures.
NSW solar farm agrees to pay $5.9 million ‘community benefit contribution’ as part of council REZ demands
The 225 MW Oxley Solar Farm, proposed in northern NSW, has agreed to pay $5.9 million as a “community benefit contribution.” The payment links to a recent list of demands from councils within the New England Renewable Energy Zone fed up large-scale projects deliver “significant financial and social costs with little tangible benefit to our regions.”
