solar au

Local government associations continue to drive Australia’s shift towards renewable energy with councils around the country unveiling a series of clean energy projects, ranging from solar PV and storage installs, to solar panel recycling initiatives and long-term power purchase agreements.

Western Australia’s electric vehicle fast-charging network has reached an important milestone with the state government awarding Melbourne-based company Jet Charge a $4.1 million contract to create what will be the world’s longest continuously connected electric highway.

Australian clean energy developer Renewable Energy Partners will investigate opportunities to incorporate solar PV and a big battery as part of its plan to develop a 600 MW wind farm in the Western Downs region of Queensland.

The Australian Energy Regulator has launched a “one-stop” online shop which aims to reduce regulatory hurdles and assist energy businesses and start-ups seeking to bring new technology and innovation to the market.

New analysis this week found strong fuel efficiency standards would have saved Australia $5.9 billion in fuel costs and emissions equal to a year’s worth of domestic flights if the policy was adopted in 2015.

The owner of Australia’s biggest coal-fired generator has added another large-scale solar PV project to its renewable energy portfolio with the acquisition of the 60 MW Yanco Solar Farm being developed in the New South Wales Riverina region.

Newcastle-based clean energy company MGA Thermal has secured federal government funding to develop a 5 MWh pilot plant to demonstrate the generation of steam from stored thermal energy with the capacity to provide a new form of medium-term energy storage.

Researchers from Deakin University in Victoria have announced a breakthrough in the development of new polymer electrolyte chemistries that they believe could pave the way for a safer and cheaper alternative to current lithium-ion battery energy storage technologies.

The Australian government’s green bank has extended its collaboration with the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group, committing up to $200 million as part of a clean energy asset purchasing program to help Australian businesses invest in energy efficient and renewable technologies to cut costs and reduce emissions.

Australian renewables company Wave Swell Energy says the time has come for wave power to sit alongside wind, solar and energy storage as part of a modern energy mix after a 12-month trial of its technology in the seas of Bass Strait produced an average rate of conversion from ocean energy to electricity of up to 50%.