Oceania

With its abundance of metal rooftops and an increasing appetite for quality components and installations, the Australian rooftop solar segment is primed for the adoption of “direct- attach” mounting systems. U.S.-based S-5! believes this is the case and is working with installers and EPCs to increase awareness of its PVKIT 2.0 – which it claims allows for faster and less complicated installations.

The Sustainable Australia Fund is launching special financing terms for the solar industry to mediate the impact of Covid-19. The terms seek to put immediate cash savings in the hands of businesses.

The lure of building integrated photovoltaics continues to attract entrepreneurs and startups.

The patentability of Korean company Hanwha’s technology is being examined by a U.S. commission, according to Jinko. The Chinese manufacturer said it expects a final decision by December.

What makes this contract different is it covers only the high-demand hours when rooftop PV output is low, opening new markets for on-demand energy resources, such as battery storage. This and other standardized hedge contracts designed for clean energy technologies are hosted on Renewable Energy Hub’s digital firming marketplace.

Network connection works have been completed on Neoen’s upgraded Hornsdale Power Reserve in South Australia. The 50MW/64.5 MWh expansion will provide an Australian-first large-scale demonstration of the potential for battery storage to provide the stabilizing inertia services that are critical to the future integration of renewable energy.

The Northern Territory Government stated openly that it would fund its new household and business battery scheme by massively reducing the feed-in tariff paid to new rooftop generators. The immediate result seems to have been an instant retreat from rooftop solar installation that threatens NT solar businesses.

Australia’s energy regulators say their COVID-19 power plan released last week is designed to ease regulatory pressure on the industry and strike a balance on reforms and changes: some must continue at pace while others will be slowed or deferred.

It’s no secret that Australia’s surge in utility-scale solar and wind – some 4.4 GW commissioned in 2018-19, and a further 3.5 GW expected in 2020 – has overwhelmed sections of the grid. An array of actions and innovations spurred by a recent curtailment crisis in the West Murray region of New South Wales will help crack the code to successful energy transition in Australia and beyond.

Rio Tinto Chairman Simon Thompson is urging governments to take “urgent” action on climate change despite the twin evils of Covid-19 and economic recession. The call comes amid criticism that Rio Tinto’s own emissions reductions schemes are too weak.