South Australia

South Australia could generate five times more renewable energy than the state currently demands by 2050, positioning itself as a national and even international exporter of clean energy. The SA government today released its climate Action Plan, adding to the chorus of state announcements.

Australia’s first utility-scale vanadium flow battery will be built in regional South Australia and will demonstrate the technology’s potential to provide energy and frequency control ancillary services (FCAS) for the national grid.

Plans to introduce new taxes for electric vehicles (EVs) have been undermined by a leaked government paper which warns applying new charges without other support for the technology could discourage Australia’s move to electric and low-emissions vehicles.

South Australia will likely be the world’s first state to enforce temporary ‘solar shutdowns’ this summer. The real tragedy though, according to solar expert Finn Peacock, is not the curtailment of renewables but rather how poorly the government has managed and communicated its plan.

Some Australian states are choosing this moment to ensure that electric vehicle drivers are paying their fair share of funds needed to maintain road infrastructure — given that they don’t contribute via fuel excise. The moves are expected to throw a spanner in the works of drivers deciding in favour of zero-emissions motoring.

South Australian design and manufacturing company PVDymanics has unveiled a unique ‘slide in’ solar canopy system which it believes can revolutionise the micro-grid market.

The South Australian government has followed up the launch of its Hydrogen Export Prospectus last week with a straight drive on the front foot, $37 million in funding for export infrastructure upgrades in support of the a $240 million green hydrogen and green ammonia project which will make South Australia a global leader.

Cornwall Insight Australia’s Lead Consultant – Market Analysis, Lumi Adisa, compares the lead times of major coal fired power station retirements in the National Energy Market (NEM) and analyses how renewables, particularly solar plus battery storage, are able to replace lost generation in the transition to a two-sided market.

Australia’s largest free-range chicken farm switched on one of the biggest solar plus energy storage system’s of any commercial farm in the country this week. With 1.4 MW of rooftop solar combining with 2.28 MWh of energy storage via 5 Tesla lithium-ion batteries, the farm is excited to save enormous amounts on its energy bill and its emissions. Winner, winner!

Construction of South Australia’s biggest solar farm, and the state’s fifth “big” battery will provide 810 jobs and a $41 million boost to the economy around Whyalla. The Marshall Government buys in and forecasts a $12.8 million saving on its energy expenditure over the term of its 10-year energy contract.