Victoria

Australian renewables developer South Energy has announced a series of “significant milestones” with a trio of large-scale solar PV and battery projects, with an aggregated capacity of more than 390 MW, getting the tick of approval from relevant authorities.

The Victorian government has published its Gas Substitution Roadmap detailing regulatory and policy reform designed to help Australia’s biggest gas-consuming state fast-track its transition towards a renewable energy future and navigate the path to net-zero emissions.

The Victorian government has opened a new round of funding for a $20 million initiative designed to support projects that create long-term sustainable jobs, increase the uptake of renewable energy generation and drive innovation in new energy technologies.

A team of Australian scientists has declared the prospect of buildings, particularly those with glass facades, becoming close to self-powering is a step closer to realisation after developing a 15.5% efficient semi-transparent solar cell which allows more than 20% of visible light through.

The market operator today announced a “staged” return to the national energy market’s normal operations as 4000 MW of generation capacity comes back into operation.

After a bumpy start, the Victorian government’s Solar Homes Program is now in full swing, lead by strong uptake in Melbourne’s suburbs and the state’s rural north. Meanwhile, demand for batteries linked to rooftop solar has skyrocketed over the last month, spurred by the energy crisis and an especially cold winter.

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) says it has not suspended solar and wind project commissioning, though it noted the schedules for some projects have been adjusted because of the ongoing energy supply crisis.

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) this afternoon suspended the electricity wholesale spot market in all five of the participating National Electricity Market states, saying it has become “impossible” to operate.

The rollout of rooftop solar in the western suburbs of Melbourne is set to get a boost with Victorian network service provider Powercor identifying the site where it will install a community battery that is expected to unlock more than 129MWh of solar PV hosting capacity.

Penfolds owner Treasure Wine Estates will install more than 9,500 solar panels across its Barossa and Karadoc wineries as the company seeks to become 100% renewable by 2024. To achieve that goal the company says it is preparing to install 29,000 solar panels across its vineyards worldwide, while also purchasing offsite renewables.