Clean Energy Council

Australia needs 200,000 more people in clean economy jobs by 2030, or risks missing its renewable energy targets according to a new campaign backed by Australian tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes.

A 17.6 kW battery hybrid solar system installed on a three-level home overlooking the central Queensland coastline has earned installer Solpac Energy Solutions top honours in this year’s Clean Energy Council Solar Design and Installation Awards.

Quarterly investment in large-scale energy storage projects has broken through the billion-dollar barrier for the first time but the Clean Energy Council has cautioned that a slowdown in generation projects means Australia is a long way off the pace necessary to achieve the 82% national renewable energy target by 2030.

Australia’s Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen has announced a major overhaul of Australia’s Net Zero 2050 commitments, while taking aim at the previous federal government’s inaction on climate change.

The Clean Energy Regulator is calling for applications from individuals and organisations to serve as the product listing body that will be responsible for publishing and maintaining lists of approved solar panels and inverters eligible for use in Australia’s solar rebate program.

Construction of eight large-scale renewable energy generation and storage projects with a combined capacity of more than 1 GW commenced in Australia in the first quarter of 2023 but the Clean Energy Council has warned the project pipeline is drying up as “headwinds” increase.

Solar and battery retailers in Victoria will have to abide by a new consumer protection standards after the state government announced it will mandate a new stronger code that builds on the previous guidelines and expands them to include new energy technology including electric vehicle chargers.

Industry peak body the Clean Energy Council has arrived at a starkly different conclusion about Australia’s large-scale renewable segment in 2023 compared to independent analyst Sunwiz. In its latest report, it hails the number of utility projects under construction and is highly optimistic about the segment’s prospects.

Household’s rooftop solar supplied a record 14% of Australia’s electricity this summer – contributing more than brown coal, and more than large-scale wind or solar farms.

Following consultations with industry stakeholders, Australia’s Clean Energy Regulator will open an application process to decide which organisation will list approved solar panel and inverter equipment lists in future, part of a major overhaul to the industry.