Oceania

As the country grapples with devastating bushfires, the number of Australians concerned about climate change has climbed. Almost four-fifths of those surveyed last week said they were concerned about climate change, an increase of five percent from July, according to think-tank The Australia Insitute. The polling comes hot on the heels of the Bureau of Meteorology’s 2019 Annual Climate Statement, showing there is every reason for concern and confirming 2019 was both the warmest and driest year on record for Australia.

Researchers at the University of Newcastle have developed a solar-powered atmospheric water generator, a clean and economical solution to the worsening perennial problem of global water scarcity.

University of Queensland researchers have quantified the amount of on-site renewable energy generation utilised by the nation’s water industry. The results are interesting if not already anachronistic due to the rapid pace of advancement in the world of solar PV.

Norwegian solar panel manufacturer REC Group has upped the ante with new warranty deals and reduced the annual power degradation of its products. In addition to a brand new, triple 25-year warranty exclusively offered by certified REC Solar Professional installers, it has extended coverage form 10 to 20 years for its TwinPeak and N-Peak products.

Renown think-tank Beyond Zero Emissions has published a new report looking directly at the near-future for fossil-fuel industry dependent towns and communities like Collie in WA. The report suggests that Collie has great hope for renewal, a hope founding on the state’s rapid transition to renewable energies.

The final tally was 2.13 GW of sub-100kW systems registered in 2019 following a record installation surge in December, according to solar analyst SunWiz. This represents a jump of a 35% year-on-year and puts the grand total at 10 GW.

Spanish utility Iberdrola is investing $500 million in a massive hybrid renewable energy project in South Australia. The funding will pave the way for the landmark project developed by DP Energy to proceed following a significant delay.

Chinese PV module manufacturer Risen Energy is nearing completing on its second utility-scale solar project in Australia, the 132 MW Merredin Solar Farm. Risen’s swift meeting of deadlines suggests the achievement of its ambitious 2 GW goal for renewable investment in Australia is only a matter of time.

The Australian peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading pioneer has purchased a 250kW PV system that will utilize the company’s new energy data management and settlement system to provide greater visibility on renewable energy sold to a consumer under a 20-year power purchase agreement.

Australia’s green bank has partnered with Bank of Australia to deliver discounted interest rates to green home builders and buyers. The green home loan is the first Australian financial instrument to use energy efficiency measurement tools to determine eligibility.