Oceania

Australia’s largest free-range chicken farm switched on one of the biggest solar plus energy storage system’s of any commercial farm in the country this week. With 1.4 MW of rooftop solar combining with 2.28 MWh of energy storage via 5 Tesla lithium-ion batteries, the farm is excited to save enormous amounts on its energy bill and its emissions. Winner, winner!

Construction of South Australia’s biggest solar farm, and the state’s fifth “big” battery will provide 810 jobs and a $41 million boost to the economy around Whyalla. The Marshall Government buys in and forecasts a $12.8 million saving on its energy expenditure over the term of its 10-year energy contract.

The Clean Energy Regulator is both watchdog — assessing applications for Small-scale Technology Certificates, Large-scale Generation Certificates and Emissions Reduction Fund credits — and oracle, weaving data to provide an overview of Australia’s energy supply and demand and the performance of renewable resources. A recent transformation of its digital capabilities benefits consumers and the renewable energy industry.

South Australia has done some hard yards in pursuing the transition to green energy, integrating 50% renewable generation into its grid, and advancing the management of a vast fleet of distributed rooftop energy resources. Now it’s seeking investors to continue the renewable buildout beyond its own requirements and potentially fuel the world with green hydrogen.

Earlier this year, Singapore surpassed its 2020 target for 350 MW of installed PV, and has set itself a more ambitious goal of 2 GW for the coming decade. pv magazine recently spoke with Thomas Reindl, deputy CEO of the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS) – and also the lead author of a 2020 update to the institute’s PV Roadmap for Singapore report – to catch up on the latest developments in the city-state’s PV market.

Dozens of elected local government representatives from around Australia are the latest to reject the Federal Government’s gas-led economic recovery plan, committing instead to a “sustainable” economic future.

Freedom Foods Group’s Shepparton site solar+storage array in Victoria has produced more than 3 GWh of clean energy in its first nine months of operation.  The array is the first project in Australia to employ Fimer’s largest string inverters – the PVS-175. The project is claimed to be one of the largest single rooftop solar power installations in Australia.

Mining giant Fortescue Metals Group is on track to transport workers at the company’s Christmas Creek iron ore mine with hydrogen-fuelled buses after gas supplier BOC confirmed it has been engaged to install renewable hydrogen production and refuelling facilities at the Pilbara site.

Australian renewables developer Tetris Energy is set to add to its rapidly growing portfolio of solar farms having secured approval to construct a 4.9 MW facility in South Australia’s Adelaide Hills region.

This month’s final thought comes from Violette Mouchaileh, EGM, emerging markets and services with Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO).