Freight costs fell for the 39th straight week, South Australia’s week in isolation + AGL to close Torrens Island ‘B’ gas power station in 2026

To save you some time, we’ve searched the internet for the latest news in solar farm projects and other renewables. Grab your coffee, here’s the industry must-knows for the week (28/11/22 edition):

• Grid technology start-up Electrical Grid Monitoring (EGM) has deployed its multi-sensing system on transmission lines to increase network capacity and integrate more renewable energy into the grid. (Renews.biz)
• A new analysis by the Global Carbon Budget, published in the journal Earth System Science Data, shows global carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels have fully recovered from the temporary dip driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, setting new records in 2021 and 2022. (Renew Economy)
• Freight costs fell for the 39th straight week to account for roughly 4% of solar module costs – close to pre-pandemic levels. PV consultant Asier Ukar tells PV Magazine that this trend will likely continue over the short term. (PV Magazine)
• US battery specialist Powin and US investment firm BlackRock have started work on a 909 MW/1,915 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in Australia. Construction is set to begin in 2023 and will finish by mid-2025. (PV Magazine)
• AGL has announced it will shut down its Torrens Island “B” gas power station in South Australia in 2026, nearly a decade earlier than expected. (ABC News)
• Building renewables emits carbon, but building them faster emits far less. A new study by Columbia University’s Climate School looks at the carbon emissions needed to build renewable energy. (PV Magazine)
• With the US offering tremendous capital to “friendshore” its renewable supply chains, the cofounder of a major renewables investor, David Scaysbrook, says President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act could turn Australia into a critical mineral and rare earth powerhouse. (PV Magazine)
• International Graphite says it has successfully produced specialised graphite material at a newly-commissioned pilot plant in Western Australia, a first step in becoming a vertically integrated producer of the key ingredient used in lithium battery manufacturing. (Renew Economy)
• An electric car that is circumnavigating Australia using direct solar charging for some of its power made a pit stop at the University of Wollongong Innovation Campus. (UOW)
• A look at South Australia’s week in isolation and the role of rooftop solar. (Energy Insiders Podcast)