Here’s a wrap-up of all the key news across solar and other renewables last week. Grab your coffee, here’s the industry must-knows for the week (22/05/2023 edition):
On Wednesday, the Clean Energy Council formally proposed a rule change that would provide investors and developers of renewable generation and storage with greater certainty when connecting to the grid.
The Clean Energy Council proposed a set of rule changes to the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) to provide improved investment certainty, supporting the faster connection of more renewables, leading to lower prices and improved power supply for consumers.
Clean Energy Council Chief Executive, Kane Thornton said its proposal would give clarity to a process that historically has created serious delays for renewable investors and developers. “Every Australian has a stake in getting this right and helping bring clean, affordable new power generation to the grid efficiently,” Thornton said.
Read the full rule change proposal here https://www.cleanenergycouncil.org.au/resources/resources-hub/rule-change-request-investor-certainty-in-the-r1-process (Clean Energy Council)
Exciting progress in Australia’s northern region as the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy gains momentum.
The 35 MW/35 MWh Darwin-Katherine Battery Energy Storage System has entered pre-commission testing, marking a significant milestone. This state-of-the-art system will play a crucial role in promoting solar adoption among homes and businesses in the Northern Territory.
Territory Generation’s Commercial GM Eddie Mallan shows NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles, and Energy Minister Selena Uibo around the site.
Image: Territory Generation
NT Energy Minister Selena Uibo welcomed the milestone, saying the battery is an important step forward in the government’s plan for 50% renewable power by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050. (PV Magazine)
Victorian Government announces new emissions reduction target of 75-80 per cent by 2035 and net zero emissions by 2045 and they are taking action across the state to deliver on the new targets
– delivering zero-emissions transport, helping farmers cut emissions, storing carbon in local landscapes and driving down emissions in the waste sector through the circular economy.
These new targets will ensure Victoria seizes the enormous economic opportunity climate change action presents – generating $63 billion of benefit to the economy and helping to create thousands of jobs. (Energy Magazine)
Where do Victorian emissions come from? | Energy.vic.gov.au
Image: Energy.vic.gov.au
Have yourSAy!
The South Australian Government has published a world-first Hydrogen and Renewable Energy Act draft, to support large-scale projects with streamlined regulatory and licensing systems.
The proposed Hydrogen and Renewable Energy Act aims to introduce a ‘one window to government’ licensing and regulatory system for the lifecycle of large-scale hydrogen and renewable energy projects in South Australia.
You can have your say via the South Australian government YourSAy website: https://yoursay.sa.gov.au/hrebill
The consultation period closes on Monday 26 June 2023. (energymining.sa.gov.au)
The story of Western Australian bioenergy company Renergi
has been a journey from university laboratory via spin-off company, through research and development, on to building, testing, proving and now commercial installation.
Renergi says Collie Shire’s single plant will process municipal solid waste and about 25,000 tonnes of biomass.
Image: ARENA
With the help of $5.47 million in funding through ARENA’s Emerging Renewables program, Curtin University got to work on a Low Emission Biofuel Technology project.
The aim? To demonstrate in a practical setting that their pyrolysis process could successfully transform agricultural waste into a renewable fuel. (ARENA)
The Australian Government has awarded nearly $50 million worth of grants under the Critical Minerals Development Program.
Thirteen projects will receive funding over the next 3 years, putting money towards activities like feasibility studies, engineering design work and building pilot or demonstration facilities.
Critical minerals are essential for many clean-energy technologies, including batteries and electric vehicles. Read more about the successful projects here https://business.gov.au/grants-and-programs/critical-minerals-development-program/grant-recipients (Industry.gov.au)
BlueScope Steel has thrown its weight behind Australian long duration energy storage startup, Green Gravity,
chipping in funds and prime real estate at its Port Kembla hub in New South Wales to build a “world first” research and development facility.
Green Gravity said its new R&D facility will also be co-commissioned with a digital twin. A digital twin is a virtual representation of a physically commissioned system and can be used to test new components or hypotheses before they are trialled in the physical world.
Image: Green Gravity
Green Gravity, led by Mark Swinnerton, is developing a gravity-based energy storage system that uses gravity to generate power by lowering approximately 30-tonnes of steel coil into vertical mine shafts. The system aims to reduce costs and eliminate the need for water, land, and chemicals associated with other storage methods.
Although untested at scale, Green Gravity has collaborated with the University of Wollongong and Soto Engineering to develop the concept and signed an MoU with Yancoal Australia for a pre-feasibility study. (Renew Economy)
Road transport accounts for at least 20 per cent of Tasmania’s emissions, making the new partnership between Tasmanian operator 7R Logistics and Countrywide Hydrogen a major move!
With the aim of becoming the first fleet in the state to offer a zero-emissions option to customers, Countrywide says hydrogen-powered trucks deliver similar or better performance than diesel equivalents in terms of power output, torque, payload, refuelling time, range, and whole-of-life cost of operation. (Big Rigs)
Tim Jensen, left, seals the deal with Geoff Drucker, Countrywide’s managing director.
Image: Big Rigs
ARENA Insights Spotlight Interview: Jemena Malabar Biomethane Project | ARENA
Households and businesses in Sydney’s eastern suburbs will soon be cooking with a greener blend of gas thanks to the Malabar Biomethane Injection Project that Jemena is building at Sydney Water’s wastewater treatment plant. Read more about this project here https://arena.gov.au/projects/malabar-biomethane-injection-project/
What if windows could generate solar power? | Mashable
What if any surface could harvest solar power? Ubiquitous Energy, a solar tech company founded by MIT scientists, has created a transparent photovoltaic glass coating called UE Power that, according to its creators, could turn any surface into a tiny solar panel. The company, however, is prioritising the use of UE Power on windows in an attempt to help buildings reduce their colossal climate footprint.
A Clean Energy Future | Phil Bloomer | TEDxLondonBusinessSchool
In his thought-provoking TEDx talk, Phil Bloomer sheds light on the often-overlooked issue of human rights abuses in mining, particularly in the quest for clean energy. As the demand for renewable energy sources grows, so does the need for the minerals and metals that power them. However, the extraction of these resources often comes at a high cost to the environment and the people living in the surrounding areas. Bloomer challenges us to consider the ethical implications of our energy consumption and calls for a sustainable and socially responsible approach to mining.
Getting to grips with solar duck curve | Solar Insiders Podcast
Gabrielle Kuiper on why rooftop solar should not be ignored by grid planners. Plus: Latest news including dire warning for PV installers on inverters.
Our photo of the week (from the Meralli archives) is from the Tamburlaine – 99.5KW Solar Farm in Cudal, New South Wales. The solar farm assists Tamburlaine Organic Winery to offset its processing power.
