Oceania

It turns out that you can have too much of a good thing, says Mark Byrne of Australia’s Total Environment Centre. Or rather, it’s possible that there is too much rooftop PV at some times in some places. As a result, a range of critical reforms – including the introduction of export tariffs to pay for upgrades of the electricity distribution network – are necessary to allow for the uninhibited growth of solar in the future, he argues.

Australian oil and gas giant Woodside is partnering with U.S.-based concentrated solar specialist Heliogen to build a 5 MW solar thermal demonstration plant in California. The project will deliver clean energy with nearly 24/7 availability.

Fotowatio Renewable Ventures’ (FRV) Australian platform includes 637 MW (DC) in projects already operational or under construction, and a pipeline comprising 7 GW of solar projects and 1.3 GWh of battery storage.

The modular solar marketplace is growing, especially in Australia where remote mining and agricultural sites appreciate the benefits of compact, movable solar. One new entrant is Western Australia’s CDI Energy with its “Rapid Solar Module”, which CDI founder and CEO Darryl Bower told pv magazine is up to 30% cheaper than fixed axis alternatives.

Mobile test equipment is a must for fault detection and performance monitoring of large-scale PV installations. The Australian PV Institute has contributed to an international review of available aerial and portable ground-based technologies, and how to deploy them for reliable, relatable results.

Big rooftop PV systems on factories, warehouses and public buildings need not be limited by ownership issues nor local grid capacity, claims Australian innovator EleXsys Energy. The company is maxing out an Ikea in Adelaide, Australia, with solar and storage. And it claims its smart technology can allow the same to be done elsewhere.

Mining giant BHP is poised to finalize a “bespoke” renewable energy agreement with the Australian arm of Spanish energy group Iberdrola for the 317 MW Port August Renewable Energy Park in South Australia. The deal will supply up to 50% of the miner’s electricity needs for its Olympic Dam mining operation.

The Australian state of Queensland aims to become a leading producer and exporter of green hydrogen. It ambitions continue to gather steam, with the state government recently announcing plans to build a large-scale PV and battery-powered renewable hydrogen electrolyzer.

Green energy fund CEP.Energy is forging ahead with plans to establish itself as a renewable powerhouse, appointing Adelaide-headquartered contractor Enerven to provide engineering, procurement and construction services as it looks to accelerate its ambition to build 1.5 GW of solar and 2 GW of big battery capacity around Australia.

From iron ore magnate to renewable energy mogul, Dr. Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest intends to produce everything he needs to turn the world away from fossil fuels to green hydrogen. The latest? A renewable energy infrastructure manufacturing facility in Aldoga, near Gladstone in Central Queensland.