$26 billion in ‘new energy economy’ projects proposed in Queensland, as feds pay bizarre homage to coal
The Queensland government has highlighted its state attracted as much as $26 billion worth of “new energy economy projects”, according to new national resources reports. The federal government, on the other hand, used the reports to pay tribute almost exclusively to coal, with resources minister Keith Pitt dubbing it a “star”.
BHP looks to use 35-tonne blocks to store renewable energy for its WA operations
An agreement with Energy Vault may see resource company BHP stack 35-tonne blocks to store wind and solar energy in the Pilbara, northern Western Australia.
Aussie flow battery company completes ‘milestone’ installation
Brisbane-based flow battery company Redflow has completed its single biggest installation to date, a 2 MWh storage system in California for biowaste technology firm Anaergia.
Wollongong researchers’ graphene discovery to unlock cheaper, more efficient li-ion batteries
Researchers at the University of Wollongong say they have discovered a new form of graphene which will improve both anode and cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries, making them cheaper and more efficient. Collaborating with Sicona, the company has agreed to buy all the researchers’ intellectual property relating to the new material.
NT’s first publicly owned house finally granted access to rooftop solar
Indigenous communities have some of the most unreliable, expensive power in Australia, with a recent study finding almost three quarters of households in remote Northern Territory communities lost power more than 10 times, often for significant periods on “dangerously” hot days. Alarmingly, regulations have until now completely blocked communities in public housing from connecting rooftop solar because they use a prepaid meter system.
Novel government strategy makes solar and wind monitoring data public for first time
In an unconventional bid to attract large-scale renewable developments, the Queensland government has organised for usually highly confidential solar and wind monitoring data to be made public for the first time through Fulcrum 3D’s technology platforms.
Weekend read: Solar panels bringing solace to communities hit hard by Black Summer Bushfires
Norway-based REC Group’s REConstruct Initiative is helping communities hit hard by the Black Summer Bushfires of 2019-2020 by donating solar systems to help bring savings on electricity bills and independence to vulnerable areas cut off from the grid during the catastrophic fires.
Don’t look back in anger: are peaking assets taking advantage of 5-minute price spikes?
Building on our previous Chart of the week in October, where we reviewed the first couple of weeks of 5-minute settlement, we wanted to revisit this topic. Now two months in, we take another look and see how well the fastest responding assets in the NEM are capturing the best prices in the 5-minute market.
CSIRO report reveals renewables remain cheapest new-build power
The latest estimates of electricity generation costs in Australia have confirmed solar and wind continue to be the cheapest sources of new-build electricity generation, even when factoring in additional integration costs such as storage and new transmission infrastructure.
Greenspot lodges DA for massive 500 MW battery at former coal-fired power plant
New South Wales-based development company Greenspot has lodged a planning application for a massive 500 MW/1,000 MWh battery energy storage system to be built at the site of the shuttered coal-fired Wallerawang Power Station near Lithgow in the Central Tablelands.
