RenewEconomy
News and analysis for the clean energy economy
Tony Abbott may continue his public war of words against the carbon price, but he would quietly approve of the new de-facto minister for carbon pricing in the Australian cabinet – the think-alike prime minister of Poland, Donald Tusk. But the introduction of the carbon price floor underlines the importance of maintaining the renewable energy target.
Australia says it will scrap the proposed carbon floor price of its emissions trading scheme as part of a deal to link with the EU ETS, and will restrict access to Kyoto credits. The Australian carbon price will now be set in Europe. All eyes on Poland!
Solar PV installs for Australia upgraded on Queensland rush, as world head for record deployment in second half of 2012. Change of tariff in Victoria?
The biggest utilities in Europe’s largest economy are gradually shedding the conventional concept of baseload and peaking power, and replacing it with a vision of flexible and inflexible generation designed around renewables.
The world’s largest producer of lithium attempted a float on the Australian market in 2009, but withdrew because of a lack of interest. Now, it has been bought out for double that price in anticipation of a surge in demand for lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles, grids and solar storage (and iPads).
Silex exits flat panel solar business, following the closure of its cell manufacturing and panel production facilities in Homebush.
A tale of two utilities; so what happened to solar; and where did all those customers go? Plus: reform at last as energy becomes a political battle, and Rinehart’s gift to the atmosphere.
Origin is not in the market for any new wind farms; rooftop solar is changing demand profiles, although its own installations have fallen sharply; Origin’s experience with cutting-edge technologies has been painful; better renewables opportunities lie overseas; and the RET review is good.
Origin Energy writes off investment in Sliver solar, and will take technology back to the lab. It has also written down the rest of its Australian hot rock geothermal interests, and some of its wind energy projects. It has enough RECs to last until 2017, and its biggest renewable opportunities may lie overseas.
The most successful Australian solar companies; one minute solar data to help deployment; is China’s solar bubble bursting?; Kyocera lights up Fiji.
