Renewable Energy

The Northern Territory government is investing $5 million over four years to accelerate and expand the region’s hydrogen industry.

Pacific Partnerships, a CIMIC Group company, has acquired the development rights for the first large-scale solar farm to be owned and developed by CIMIC Group as principal – Glenrowan Solar Farm in northern Victoria.

Queensland is powering ahead in the new global renewable energy era by taking another significant step towards exporting green hydrogen to Europe’s largest port, the Port of Rotterdam in The Netherlands. 

Building on the Queensland government’s recently released Zero Emissions Vehicle strategy, Australia’s first 100 per cent electric bus depot is now open, with 30 new low-emissions electric buses hitting the road in the southeast. 

Bipartisan federal support for a $140 million funding commitment towards two new hydrogen hubs in Western Australia has been welcomed by the state government. 

The Queensland government will provide $28.9 million towards the construction of a renewable hydrogen demonstration plant and refuelling facilities in the Western Downs to create more local jobs and more industry.

The Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation is cutting emissions and saving on power costs, thanks to two solar-battery and storage projects funded by the Victorian state government’s $1.1 million Traditional Owner Renewable Energy Program. 

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has announced $22.8 million in funding to Viva Energy to develop, build and operate the New Energies Service Station located in Geelong, Victoria, to support the uptake of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) in heavy fleets. 

Australian hydrogen research, development and deployment company, Star Scientific, has appointed Dr Ashkan Vatani to the role of principal engineer.

The Hunter and Central Coast regions are projected to continue as the energy powerhouse of NSW, according to the interest received for the Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone (REZ). 

Renewable energy producer, ACCIONA Energía, has joined Rio Tinto Australia, Alpha HPA and Orica in signing the Central Queensland Statement of Cooperation, committing to the shift towards decarbonisation. 

Central Coast-based hydrogen company, Star Scientific, has been selected as a finalist for the 24th annual SXSW Innovation Awards, to take place at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference and Festivals on 11-20 March to recognise and celebrate new technology developments in the connected world. 

Nestlé Australia has announced it is switching to 100 per cent renewable electricity, four years ahead of its global target of 2025. 

The Tasmanian government is laying the foundations to make the most of modern bioenergy, one of the most widely used renewable energy generations sources in the world, through a new draft Bioenergy Vision for Tasmania. 

Aurizon and Anglo American have announced they will undertake a study into using hydrogen-powered trains for bulk freight in Queensland.

The University of Queensland has launched an international trial around using spare battery capacity in electric vehicles to support the uptake of renewable energy, support the grid and potentially power homes in the future. 

Maoneng Australia has been granted development approval by the SA government to undertake the state’s largest battery storage project, a $150 million 225MW project at Gould Creek. 

The Alice Springs Future Grid project is underway in the NT, with wind being assessed as a potential form of renewable energy. Two wind monitoring units have been deployed to determine the feasibility of use as a second renewable energy resource for the region. 

A new pilot program has been introduced by the federal government to back Australia’s largest fleet of electric buses, with 40 new vehicles to be deployed across Sydney. 

The Sun Cable Australia-Asia PowerLink project has brought together a group of engineering firms to form a global consortium – the Integrated Project Delivery Team (IPDT) – which will see the world’s largest solar farm and renewable energy system built in the Northern Territory.