Oceania

The University of New South Wales Sydney and Providence Asset Group are teaming up to form the Hydrogen Energy Research Centre, a university-to-industry institute toward the translation of hydrogen research into commercial production as Australia looks to become a world leader in hydrogen exports.

Why did the chicken cross the road? It wanted to get to an electrolyser and close the loop on a persistent dilemma: what comes first — a critical mass of hydrogen-fuel-cell vehicles, or the infrastructure of hydrogen production and refuelling opportunities that will see those vehicles confidently hit the tar?

In a bid to encourage competition, the Morrison Government has announced its formal application of the Consumer Data Right regime to the energy sector. It is a move supported by the Australian Energy Council and Energy Consumers Australia but how much power can the consumer expect in the Big Data revolution?

A new report from IDTechEx shows Australian cities to be on the money and with the citizen-care zeitgeist in transitioning city bus fleets to electric. Despite a slow start to quiet, zero tail-pipe emissions public transport, Australian bus manufacturers are set to take advantage of chassis and battery tech developed in China.

The best laid plans can go awry, as a recent well-intended amendment to laws governing small-scale solar installations in NSW demonstrated. Action by the NSW Department of Planning Industry and Environment, spurred by a determined solar entrepreneur, have saved developers of ground-mounted solar a stack of time and money.

The Western Australia government has installed the state’s sixth grid-connected community PowerBank battery, taking the total number of shared battery storage systems on the Western Power network to 13.

French renewables developer Neoen has announced that final testing of the expanded 150 MW Hornsdale Power Reserve has kicked off. If the tests run smoothly, the extra power will be available to the market within weeks.

Representing virtually every major energy company in the country, the Australian Energy Council has called on the Coalition to set a target of net zero emissions by 2050. The call follows Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese capitating extension of an olive branch in his speech to the National Press Club this week.

Canberra’s first community solar farm, the Majura Valley Community Solar Farm, is a step closer to reality after Epho signed on to design and construct the farm. The solar farm is the development project of SolarShare, a group of local community investors.

The developer of Australia’s first utility-scale industrial solar project will now build North Queensland’s first renewable hydrogen facility at its zinc processing plant with the help of a $5 million Queensland government grant.