Renewable Energy

UGL, part of CIMIC Group, has been awarded a number of design, engineering, procurement and construction contracts in the renewables and utilities sectors. 

BusTech, an Australian bus manufacturer, has been commissioned by the Queensland government to build 16 new electric buses on the Gold Coast. The $15.6 million deal, made with Keolis Downer, will also create the state’s first 100 per cent electric bus depot in North Lakes at the home of Hornibrook Bus Lines.  

A collaborative $4.8 million project to build the first commercial Ocean Wave Energy Market Demonstration Site in the southern hemisphere has been supported by the Western Australian government, in efforts to further develop renewable energy technologies. 

BCPG, renewable energy company in Thailand and Asia-Pacific, is expanding its business into utility-scale energy storage with the investment of US$24 million in VRB Energy, vanadium flow battery technology manufacturer. 

CSIRO, Australian’s national science agency, has launched a new Hydrogen Industry Mission which will help support the world’s transition to clean energy, create new jobs and boost the economy.  When mixed with oxygen, hydrogen can be used as an emissions-free fuel source to generate electricity, power or heat. However, it is expensive to turn into a fuel. The research mission will … Continue reading Hydrogen Industry Mission launched by CSIRO and partners →

Alcoa Corporation has announced a development project with the potential to significantly reduce carbon emissions in the alumina refining process, further enhancing the Alcoa’s sustainability performance across the aluminium value chain. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has granted A$11.3 million to Alcoa of Australia to test the use of renewable energy in the Mechanical Vapour Recompression (MVR) process.  Alcoa is currently … Continue reading Alcoa to test renewable energy in MVR refining process →

The CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, has compiled a Roadmap showing how critical minerals resources such as lithium and silicon can be turned into renewable energy products like solar panels, electric vehicles and wind turbines.  The Critical Energy Minerals Roadmap found significant potential for Australia to reshape its mining sector and capitalise on the opportunity, turning these resources … Continue reading CSIRO Roadmap shows manufacturing potential for renewable energy products →

ACCIONA’s MacIntyre Wind Farm has achieved a significant milestone, with development approval granted by Queensland’s State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) to build the project. The approval clears the way for the 1,026MW MacIntyre Wind Farm Precinct to move to the next stage of development, with construction expected to start in the second half of … Continue reading MacIntyre Wind Farm receives approval for development →

New charging technologies for electric vehicles (EVs) will be available to households under a federal government-backed trial aimed at supporting consumer choice in future fuels. The government will support a trial of various smart and managed EV charging methods on 300 users across New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia. The trial aims to … Continue reading Federal government to support electric vehicle trials →

The federal government, through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), has announced it will jointly fund a new large-scale, grid-connected battery located in western Sydney. On behalf of the Australian Government, ARENA will provide up to $11.5 million in funding to TransGrid to build a 50 MW / 75 MWh large-scale, grid-connected lithium ion battery … Continue reading Big battery to recharge NSW energy grid →

Toowoomba’s Grand Central is joining Queensland’s renewable energy revolution, with work underway installing more than 2400 solar panels on the centre’s rooftop. Energy Minister Anthony Lynham, in Toowoomba today to inspect works, said the panels would generate almost 1MW of electricity. “Queensland has an economic strategy for recovery from the pandemic, and it includes supporting … Continue reading Renewable energy revolution hits the shops in Toowoomba →

Energy Minister Bill Johnston and the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River have begun a five-year trial of community battery storage in Margaret River. Located at the Margaret River Recreation Centre, the 464-kilowatt hour Tesla battery will improve power quality for the local community and allow more homes to install solar panels. The battery will sit inside … Continue reading WA government launches battery trial at Margaret River →

Rail manufacturer Alstom is the first manufacturer in its sector to commit to the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) on the sidelines of the COP25 meeting of climate and environment ministers. The SBTi brings together large companies to reduce carbon emissions. The program is managed by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the World … Continue reading Major manufacturers commit to reducing carbon emissions →

Multinational battery manufacturer Alpha-ESS has increased its production in South Australia, with the aim to double its production by 2020. At its assembly site in Lonsdale, the China-headquartered company will produce 500 battery systems per month for the rest of 2019, with production to hit 1000 systems a month next year. “As one of the … Continue reading SA steps up battery manufacture →

Work towards developing a hydrogen industry in Western Australia is now able to gain support from the $10 million Renewable Hydrogen Fund. Projects which range from feasibility studies, demonstration, or capital works are able to apply for grants for between $300,000 to $3m. “Renewable hydrogen could be the next big job-creating industry for Western Australia, … Continue reading Grants to develop hydrogen strategy in WA →

A solar-powered microgrid will provide electrical energy for industry at the Peel Business Park in Nambeelup, Western Australia. Built by a consortium led by Enwave Australia, the project will be Australia’s first ever industrial renewable energy microgrid. The solar farm will be supported by a battery to provide constant power to the 120 hectare lot. … Continue reading WA industrial park powered by solar microgrid →

Steel manufacturer Molycop has signed a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with energy retailer Flow Power. Using energy from the Bomen Solar Farm and the Sapphire Wind Farm, both of which are located in NSW, the manufacturer will have more than half of its energy needs met by these two renewable projects. The Sapphire Wind … Continue reading Steel manufacturer offloads electricity to renewables →

During the sessions of the Clean Energy Council’s Australian Clean Energy Summit 2019, at the International Convention Centre (ICC), Sydney, across two days and numerous panel sessions, the consensus was clear, clean energy is here, and now is the time to get onboard. According to Robyn Denholm, chairman at Tesla, we are “at the tipping … Continue reading The clean energy transition is here – but how are manufacturers affected? →

Solar manufacturers and those involved in the construction of solar farms have a new guideline in Victoria. The planning guidelines will apply to large-scale solar farms, and cover decision makers, solar farm developers, and communities. The document, “Solar Energy Facilities – Design and Development Guideline”, was the product of nine months of development and consultation, … Continue reading Guideline to create certainty in Victorian solar energy →

On either side of Australia, announcements on July 18 and 19 pointed towards the growth of hydrogen as a potential energy source for local and international consumption. In Western Australia, the WA government launched its Renewable Hydrogen Strategy while opening Canadian energy company ATCO’s Clean Energy Innovation Hub in Jandakot, south of Perth. The Western … Continue reading Hydrogen’s potential as an energy source continues to expand →