Why renewables are the solution for Australia: IEEFA
Renewables are the lowest cost, sustainable solution for Australia’s energy policy crisis and potentially one of Australia’s largest export industries of the future.
World-first relocatable solar pods power up commercial rooftops
Solpod today launches a potential game changer in commercial solar PV. Substantially funded by ARENA, supported by energy retailer, ERM Power, and trialling across 25 shopping centres and NSW Government sites, this innovation has the legs to go global.
Five-minute forecast a win for solar energy industry
Australian researchers are developing short-term weather forecasts for solar farms to help them precisely predict output as little as five minutes in advance.
Northern Territory rolls out 10 MW of PV to power remote communities
Construction has been completed on the Solar Energy Transformation Program (SETuP), which has been touted as Australia’s largest rollout of solar power to remote communities to date.
Australian researchers to develop new tandem PV cell measurement equipment
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and Adelaide-based laser supplier Lastek are developing equipment and procedures to accurately measure the performance of multi-junction solar cells with the help of an LED-based solar simulator.
AEMO’s VPP integration trial, decentralized energy exchange secure funding
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) will underpin two innovative distributed energy projects – a trial to integrate a virtual power plant into the National Energy Market and a digital marketplace for grid services provided by rooftop solar arrays, batteries and EVs owned by Australian homes and businesses.
Queensland sends first green hydrogen shipment to Japan
Green hydrogen has been exported from Australia to Japan, under a trial executed by researchers from JXTG, Japan’s largest petroleum conglomerate, using Queensland University of Technology’s cutting-edge solar cell facility at the Redlands Research Facility on the Gold Coast. On top of that, the Queensland government has announced $250,000 in funding towards the establishment a renewable hydrogen production pilot plant.
Solar PV and batteries to provide 24-hour power for Santos oil pumps
Santos’s Cooper Basin oil production is set to be transformed by a trial using solar PV and a CSIRO-developed hybrid battery to replace diesel generators powering the pumps that deliver oil from underground 24/7. Early success suggests the trial will serve as a proof point for the reliability of renewables in many more off-grid applications.
Hydrogen home storage, refueling hub get financial shot into the arm
Toyota Australia will transform its former manufacturing site in West Melbourne into a renewable energy hub to produce green hydrogen with the help of funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). In other hydrogen-related news, researchers at UNSW Sydney with partners H2Store have received a $3.5 million investment from Providence Asset Group to develop a hydrogen residential storage.
Half of Australia’s solar and wind farms to trial providing their own short-term generation forecasts
Around $9.4 million has been allocated for 11 projects to trial short-term forecasting for large wind and solar farms under a funding initiative by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) in partnership with the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO). The trial aims to improve the accuracy of market outcomes.
