Queensland

In a matter of weeks, Brisbane’s Calamvale Central will become the first facility in Retail First’s privately-owned shopping centre portfolio to be powered by rooftop PV. More installations are expected to follow.

The Kidston solar-pumped hydro project is back on its feet after Japanese utility J-Power and Genex Power renegotiated their deal with the extension of funding provided by the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Board earlier this month. The project had been thrown off-course after a shock decision by EnergyAustralia not to finalise a purchase agreement.

The University of Queensland’s Warwick Solar Farm has won a coveted green award as the unique project nears completion.

The Sydney-based developer has received credit approval to fund two of its solar projects. The announcement comes only days after Genex resumed trading on the Australian stock exchange in the wake of the Northern Australian Infrastructure Fund’s decision to extend offer of funding for the 250 MW Kidston pumped storage hydro project.

In late 2016, Queensland’s Labor Government revealed a plan for 50% of the State’s electricity to be renewably sourced by 2030, and the state has made significant steps toward that goal.

After Genex Power’s offtake agreement with EnergyAustralia fell through earlier this month its concessional federal funding lapsed. However, the Project has secured an extension into 2020, hopefully allowing it enough time to restructure and reach financial close.

One of Australia’s largest solar farms, APA Group’s 110 MW (AC) Darling Downs Solar Farm has officially opened after significant delays resulting from grid connection issues and last-minute changes of engineering and construction partners.

Genex Power has failed to lock in a previously announced offtake agreement with EnergyAustralia for its landmark Kidston hub in northern Queensland and requested a trading halt with the ASX on their securities.

While it seeks to build one of Australia’s biggest coal mines, Adani has grown more cautious on solar investment after suffering connection delays on its first renewables project in Australia.

The Federal and the New South Wales governments will jointly contribute $102 million to increase the capacity of an existing interconnector between New South Wales and Queensland in the run-up to the planned closure of the Liddel coal generator in 2023.