Oceania

Australia’s two upcoming elections — in NSW this month and Federally in May — have brought to light the extreme contrasts that exist in Australian politics around the value of renewable energy, the indispensibility of coal to Australia’s economy and how the country might alleviate the high energy prices consumers are dealing with. Here are two recently presented views from each end of the political spectrum.

Australia already boasts one of the biggest pipeline of virtual power plant (VPP) projects. From big utilities to state governments, initiatives to orchestrate distributed energy resources that help support the grid have proliferated in recent years. Marija Maisch takes a look at Australia’s VPP ecosystem and how market players see it.

17 liable entities have failed to meet more or equal to 10% of their renewable energy target obligations, including major electricity retailers – Alinta, Lumo Energy, Simply Energy and EnergyAustralia. This has pushed the surrender rate to a record shortfall of 13.9% of total liability. Tristan Edis, Director Analysis and Advisory at Green Energy Markets, explains why retailers decide to carry obligations forward, and how the precipitous fall in the LGC value reflects on customer electricity bills and merchant projects.

Up to 1000 landlords and their tenants have the chance to team up and cut power bills and emissions under a trial scheme in Bundaberg, Townsville and Gladstone. To participate in the $4 million program, both property owners and tenants need to be on board, as installing a PV system would entail a rent increase only to be offset by power bill savings.

As the business case grows for corporates to take out power purchase agreements for renewable energy, and Australia’s renewable-projects pipeline expands, the country’s first ever marketplace has opened for buyers and developers to form perfect power couples.

Energy is in the news as elections in NSW and at a Federal level edge closer. Today six Queensland National MPs called for the return of Angus Taylor’s Big Stick policy to scare down energy prices, three NSW independents wrote to the state’s Premier and Opposition leader demanding action on climate change, and a curious proposal for a new coal-fired power plant in the Hunter Valley emerged from Hong Kong.

Western Australia’s government-owned regional utility Horizon Power is readying to roll out 13 solar and battery technology units at 14 far-flung farms in the Esperance region.

U.S.-based high efficiency module maker SunPower is introducing its new Maxeon 3 module series to the Australian marketplace. At 370W, 390 and 400 W, the modules lead the field for power output. U.S. customers will, however, be the first to see the company’s larger format A-Series modules.

Following a sod-turning ceremony that took place without much fanfare in south-east Queensland two weeks ago, Sunshine Energy Australia CEO Anthony John Youssef provides some detail on a 1.5 GW solar PV and 500 MWh energy storage project. While light on details about the financing structure, Youssef sets out the proposed construction timeline that, he hopes, will not be thwarted by two appeals lodged against the development.

Under the new planning mechanism adopted by the Victorian government, permits will be required for the power lines that connect new large-scale wind and solar generators to the grid. The public will be involved in the process of deciding power line routes.