Australian electric vehicle (EV) charging company Tritium is facing insolvency and has appointed KPMG as voluntary administrator. Related article: Tritium gets $40m capital to boost EV charger production Founded in 2001, Tritium designs and manufactures proprietary hardware and software to create advanced and reliable DC fast chargers for EVs. In a statement to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, the company said Tritium DCFC and three of its Australian subsidiaries were either insolvent or likely to become insolvent. Tritium’s directors have appointed Peter Gothard, James Da ..read more

Lifeline Albury Wodonga crisis support center in New South Wales now has an 8kW solar PV system donated by Maxeon and its local entity SunPower Australia. Related article: Solar sparks new beginnings at Geelong’s House of Hope Lifeline Albury Wodonga is a non-profit organisation founded over 40 years ago to provide support for individuals in times of crisis, and to create a suicide safe community through building regional resilience. Lifeline provides critical services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year including confidential, one-to-one phone counseling. Operating a 24/7 support center generates ..read more

Vulnerable households in the West Kimberley can now access Energy Ahead, a Western Australian Government program focused on improving energy efficiency and reducing energy-related financial hardship. Related article: Horizon Power’s Smart Connect Solar expands to NWIS Previously known as the Household Energy Efficiency Scheme, Energy Ahead supports Western Australians currently experiencing or at risk of financial hardship and aims to reduce the pressure on their cost of living, while improving their energy efficiency knowledge and awareness. The $13 million initiative has benefitted 1,000 Wes ..read more

Australia and Vietnam have pledged to collaborate on climate and clean energy, with representatives from both countries meeting this week at the Australia-Vietnam Green Economy Summit in Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam. Related article: Australia commits $105m to Vietnam’s energy transition The collaboration efforts will include the exchange of knowledge between nations as well as potential new trade agreements and connecting businesses from the two countries. Notably, the Australian Energy Regulator is sharing Australia’s knowledge of creating clean energy regulations with the Energy Regulatory Auth ..read more

The federal government will support a further two major critical minerals projects in Queensland and South Australia to help deliver the building blocks for its Future Made in Australia policy. The government will provide $400 million in new loans to Australian company Alpha HPA to deliver Australia’s first high-purity alumina processing facility in Queensland. Related article: Future Made in Australia Act to drive competitive renewables The company will use Australian owned IP and technology to process high purity alumina—a critical mineral used in LED lighting, semiconductors, and lithium-io ..read more

University of Queensland researchers have built a generator that absorbs carbon dioxide (CO2) to make electricity. Dr Zhuyuan Wang from UQ’s Dow Centre for Sustainable Engineering Innovation says the small, proof-of-concept nanogenerator is carbon negative because it consumes the greenhouse gas. Related article: CSIRO achieves record efficiency for printed solar cells “This nanogenerator is made of two components: a polyamine gel that is already used by industry to absorb CO2 and a skeleton a few atoms thick of boron nitrate that generates positive and negative ions,” Dr Wang said. “We’ve work ..read more

The Australian Energy Regulator’s (AER) latest Wholesale Markets Quarterly Report reveals an unusually hot summer contributed to increased wholesale electricity and gas prices during January to March 2024 compared with the previous quarter. The report also shows that average quarterly electricity prices in Queensland and Victoria increased by 20% and 9% respectively compared to the corresponding quarter in 2023. Related article: Mixed bag for electricity prices—some to fall, some to rise The 2023-24 summer was Australia’s third warmest on record, marked by widespread and persistent heat. Durin ..read more

The Australian Hydrogen Council has signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) that aims to foster collaboration on hydrogen priorities and strengthen trade ties between Australia and Japan. This strategic partnership signifies the importance of the Australia-Japan Special Strategic Partnership, highlighting both organisations’ dedication to exploring hydrogen as a pivotal element of a low-carbon future. Related article: Fortescue to develop green hydrogen, ammonia in Morocco JETRO and the Australian Hydrogen Council have both identified several ..read more

Rooftop solar now accounts for 11.2% of Australia’s electricity supply, with households and businesses playing a leading role in Australia’s renewable energy transition, according to the Clean Energy Council’s new Rooftop Solar and Storage Report. The report, developed with data provided by solar consultancy SunWiz, has also found that rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) system installations reached 20 GW of total capacity across Australia in 2023. New South Wales broke the record for the highest annual installed capacity of any state, with 970MW of new rooftop solar systems. Not to be outshone by ..read more

A new permanent community engagement and discovery hub has opened its doors to the public in the heart of the Riverina, the first facility of its kind on Transgrid’s 13,000km network across NSW and the ACT. The Transgrid Discovery Hub at Wagga Wagga provides an engaging and inviting space for community members, landowners, and businesses to understand more about the transition to renewable energy and our major projects EnergyConnect, HumeLink, and VNI West, which are centred in the Riverina. Related article: Transgrid records highest intake of female graduates Transgrid CEO Brett Redman said ..read more