Oceania

Queensland-based community group Solar Citizens has described as long overdue reports the State Government is considering a new pumped hydro facility near Gympie which would generate renewable energy to service the burgeoning Sunshine Coast region.

Concerned that a lack of understanding in the community is hindering the uptake of rooftop solar, a New South Wales local council has struck an agreement with the Australian Energy Foundation in a bid to demystify solar PV and battery energy storage systems.

Commercial installation and service provider Solar Professionals will install almost 3 MW of solar PV across the rooftops of more than 800 homes in New South Wales after landing a new contract with the Aboriginal Housing Office (AHO).

Less than three months out from Victoria becoming the first state in Australia to introduce a road tax on electric vehicles, a community panel has called for an end to the sale of new internal combustion engine cars by 2030 in a bid to speed up the state’s switch to low and zero emissions vehicles.

A homegrown technology developed by the University of Newcastle and Southern Green Gas has seen the development of a novel green hydrogen fuel and carbon neutral green methane. The fuel was demonstrated in Hyundai’s Nexo hydrogen fuel cell SUV in Sydney.

The Australian Energy Market Commission has again rejected requests from transmission network operators TransGrid and ElectraNet to allow for a change of rules governing financing arrangements for large-scale transmission projects considered critical for Australia’s shift to 100% renewables.

Victorian-based property developer Beulah has announced its soon-to-be-completed Paragon tower in the heart of Melbourne will be home to the nation’s largest and most efficient vertical solar PV system.

Mining company QEM is exploring the potential of solar PV and wind energy as part of the company’s broader ambition to produce green hydrogen on site at its Julia Creek vanadium and oil shale project in North Queensland.

Public transport operator Transdev will use a ‘green mobility megawall’ comprising 250 solar modules and 10 Tesla Powerwall units to charge two new electric buses which are set to be rolled out onto the streets of Brisbane.

Tasmanian Labor believes Premier Peter Gutwein and his Liberal Party have dropped the ball on solar in a big way. Tasmanian Labor Leader Rebecca White is therefore promising $20 million to fund loans for residential and commercial solar and battery storage installations, as well as solar for state schools and social housing.