Oceania

The path for Fotowatio Renewable Ventures to build two hybrid solar and energy storage projects in central Victoria has been smoothed with electricity distribution company AusNet revealing it is “unconditionally” progressing the connection works for the hybrid installations.

Australian EPC contractor ACLE Services has been awarded the construction contract for the first stage of a 148 MW battery energy storage system to be deployed at Spanish renewables developer X-Elio’s 200 MW Blue Grass Solar Farm in Queensland.

New data shows Sweden, Australia, Netherlands, Germany and Denmark are the leading countries for per capita solar and wind generation capacity. Furthermore, it reveals global solar capacity has been doubling every three years, and wind every six years, whereas fossil and nuclear capacity and generation have been almost static in recent years.

Wollongong-based software company Gridsight has raised $7.5 million to support the growth of its AI-powered platform that is designed to help electricity network operators integrate and maximise the use of new distributed renewable energy resources such as solar and batteries.

The Australian renewable energy and storage arm of South Korean industrial conglomerate Samsung has submitted plans for another large-scale battery energy storage project to the federal government for environmental approval.

One of the largest rooftop solar installations yet rolled out in New Zealand is nearing completion with a PV system comprising almost 2,500 panels and weighing more than 74,000 kilograms being bolted onto the roof of the country’s biggest brewery.

Philippines-controlled Acen Australia has finalised a $750 million portfolio debt financing transaction that will support the operation and ongoing development of one of the largest renewable energy pipelines in the country and establish a platform for financing new projects in Australia.

The Australian arm of Spanish energy giant Iberdrola has finished building a 2.3 MWp rooftop solar system at Adelaide Airport, almost tripling that facility’s on-site PV generation capacity.

Australia’s consumer watchdog is being urged to ban the unsolicited sale of solar products with a national advocacy group saying the “harmful” practice is degrading trust in the solar industry and government schemes and discouraging people from participating in the transition to clean energy.

Plans to build more than 5.6 GWh of battery energy storage across two projects in central Queensland have received the all clear to skip the federal government’s environmental approvals process.