Victorian solar households are set to receive increased compensation for the power they provide to the grid, with new changes to feed-in tariffs. Solar households are to receive a minimum feed-in tariff rate of 11.3 cents per kilowatt hour compared to the current five cents for selling excess electricity back into the grid. Around 130,000 solar households will benefit from […]
The Kidston Solar Farm in North Queensland has cleared all key financial and contractual requirements and is now under construction. Project developer, Genex Power, has finalised all necessary funding requirements for the engineering, construction and operation of the plant. It is the fifth project to reach financial close through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency’s (ARENA) large-scale solar competitive round ARENA […]
The federal government is committing $54 million from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) for the development of a large-scale solar project with the potential for pumped hydro storage. The solar development will take place at Genex Power’s Kidston Renewable Energy Hub, 270km north-west of Townsville. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency has provided $4 million for a study into the […]
The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has released a report of its continuing investigation into the events leading up to load shedding in South Australia on 8 February 2017, and has called for all parties to work together as the national energy market transitions. At 6:03pm, AEMO directed ElectraNet to interrupt 100MW of customer supply to restore system security and […]
A long-term purchase agreement has been approved for all electricity produced from the Gannawarra Solar Farm near Kerang in northern Victorian, which will be the state’s first large-scale solar project. The project, developed by renewable energy business Edify Energy, now has a 13-year power purchase agreement with EnergyAustralia. Once completed, the solar farm will have nameplate generation capacity of around […]
The Australian property market is changing. More people are embracing high and medium-density living, with many developments incorporating a mix of residential, retail and commercial tenants. In the Housing Industry Association’s Forecast November 2016, around 420,000 multi-units will be commenced by the year 2020. Andrew Perry, EnergyAustralia Executive – NextGen, said the company entered the embedded networks industry in June […]
Increasing the number of solar installations in areas that have previously had their levels capped is a critical part of increasing the uptake of residential solar PV around the country. Recognising this, Dr Nick Engerer and his team from The Australian National University are working on an innovative new project that will help to maximise solar penetration levels in our […]
Minister for Planning and Land Management, Mick Gentleman, and the Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability, Shane Rattenbury, have proposed new legislation to ACT parliament that aims to reduce red tape for commercial solar owners. “The bill amends planning legislation to require community consultation on certain development proposals before a development application is lodged,” Minister Gentleman said. “The amendment requires […]
Companies in the energy utility industry face a number of critical trends that impact operational excellence, financial performance, and overall customer experience. With the deployment of smart meters and smart grid technology, utilities capture a tremendous amount of data that they must manage in real-time. Having that information presents an opportunity to anticipate and avoid service issues, and proactively respond […]
New analysis from the Clean Energy Council has found that 2017 will have the largest number of large-scale renewable energy projects in Australia since the Snowy Hydro Scheme. Clean Energy Council Chief Executive, Kane Thornton, said more than 2250MW of new large-scale renewable energy would be under construction in 2017, the most since the Snowy Hydro Scheme more than […]
By Elisabeth Brinton, Executive General Manager, New Energy for AGL While distributed generation could be seen as a threat to utilities and their energy business models, it is actually unlocking a new area of growth and providing benefits for the grid, the consumer and the environment. As we transition to a carbon-constrained economy, distributed energy resources (DERs) offer an exciting […]
Canberra’s ‘solar highway’ has been extended with the completion of the Williamsdale Solar Farm which adds 36,000 solar panels to the city’s renewable infrastructure. The Williamsdale facility will generate 21,900MW of energy each year, enough to power around 3,000 homes. Canberra’s ‘solar highway’ runs from Majura Parkway in Canberra’s north to the Monaro Highway in the south and is comprised […]
A 13-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for Australia’s largest solar project, the Ross River Solar Farm, has been reached between Energy Australia and the partnership of ESCO Pacific and investor, Palisade Investment Partners (Palisade), which recently purchased 50 per cent of the project. The Ross River Solar Farm, located near Townsville is being developed by ESCO Pacific. The 142MW utility‐scale […]
The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) and Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) will work together to speed up the development of flexible capacity and large-scale storage projects that secure energy supply and better integrate renewable energy sources. ARENA CEO, Ivor Frischknecht, said ARENA would call for Expressions of Interest (EoI) for demonstration projects under its Advancing Renewables Program (ARP). It […]
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is supporting three large New South Wales solar projects, which have secured the necessary financing to begin construction. The plants in Parkes, Griffith and Dubbo will consist of more than 400,000 panels and when completed will provide enough renewable energy to power 41,500 homes per year. Developed by renewable energy company Neoen, the plants […]
Snowy Hydro is partnering with renewable energy investor and developer Equis to construct a 100MW solar facility with on-site battery storage in Tailem Bend in South Australia. Snowy Hydro has a power purchase agreement with Equis for the project which will have a combined power and large-scale generation certificates price around 40 per cent less than prevailing South Australian market […]
Energy Queensland, through Ergon Energy Retail, has entered a 12-year agreement with the Lilyvale Solar Farm in Central Queensland to secure additional energy for the state. Queensland Minister for Energy, Mark Bailey, said the Power Purchase Agreement with Lilyvale Solar Farm secured an additional 100MW of renewable energy for regional Queenslanders. The Lilyvale Solar Farm is being established by Fotowatio […]
The uptake of utility-scale solar in Australia is set to increase with ARENA funding 12 new solar plants and statistics revealing that solar farm set-up costs are decreasing. In a push to reduce costs and triple Australia’s solar production, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is supporting the construction of 12 new solar plants in Queensland, New South Wales and […]
A new large-scale solar plant will be constructed in regional Victoria to power Melbourne’s tram network. The Victorian Government will run a tender to help build 75MW of new large scale solar farms, delivering $150 million in new capital investment and 300 new jobs. Around 35MW of the new solar farms will be linked to Melbourne’s tram network. The state […]
Work has begun on a $25 million upgrade at the South Lismore Sewage Treatment Plant in New South Wales that will increase the plant’s capacity and include the installation of an on-site solar farm. Lismore Deputy Mayor, Gianpiero Battista, said the upgrade will transform the 80-year-old plant into a modern facility with an increased capacity of 45 per cent. It […]
A new database has been released supporting innovation in Australia’s energy systems by providing information on Australian and international renewable energy grid integration projects. The Renewables Integration Stocktake is an advanced, online, exportable database that currently catalogues 233 projects. It aims to add to Australia’s collective knowledge and experience of integrating renewable energy into electricity networks. The database is the result […]
SA Power Networks is completing installations for its three-year battery storage trial in Salisbury in Adelaide’s north. The 100th battery is being installed in the home of Steve Hendy in Salisbury Plains. Mr Hendy already has a 3.2kW solar panel system and that is being matched-up with a Tesla battery. Paul Roberts, Stakeholder Relations Manager for SA Power Networks, said, […]
Barcaldine Remote Community Solar Farm in Central West Queensland, the state’s biggest solar farm, has begun generating and feeding electricity into the grid. With the potential to produce enough renewable energy to power around 9,800 households, the farm is expected to reach full generation by the end of 2016. The solar farm was developed by Elecnor Australia, with funding from […]
The first batteries are being installed in Adelaide homes as part of AGL’s virtual power plant, supported by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). Each household battery can ‘talk’ to each other through a cloud based platform using smart controls. When complete, this connected system will be able to operate as a 5MW solar plant, powering hundreds of local homes […]
Construction is set to begin on Western Australia’s first co-located solar farm following the signing of a funding agreement with the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). The Emu Downs Solar Farm will be co-located with wind turbines and is one of 12 new large scale solar projects around Australia supported by ARENA through its large-scale solar competitive round. The Emu Downs […]
In an Australian first, South East Water is using solar technology to power a pressure sewer system on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. Solar is now being used to power a pressure sewer system at the Truemans Road Recreation Reserve in Tootgarook, future-proofing sports club facilities for the local community, and opening up new possibilities for the provision of wastewater […]
A new Energy Networks Australia (ENA) and CSIRO report outlines the specific measures that could be taken to transition to smart energy, saving electricity customer hundreds of dollars per year and allowing Australia to achieve zero net carbon emission by 2050. The two-year Electricity Network Transformation Roadmap study, which involved hundreds of stakeholders, found a national, integrated plan was needed to […]
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