Sophie Vorrath, Author at Renew Economy

Sophie Vorrath

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Sophie is editor of Renew Economy and editor of its sister site, One Step Off The Grid . She is the co-host of the Solar Insiders Podcast. Sophie has been writing about clean energy for more than a decade.

Renewables

Huge hybrid wind project gets final green tick, but must use tall turbines to avoid black cockatoos
EPBC waves through 2 GW wind, solar and battery project proposed for Australia’s biggest isolated grid, with list of conditions to protect endangered black cockatoos and native flora.
Sophie Vorrath

Sep 21, 2026

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Renewables

Wind and solar hit record share of Australia’s main grid, nearly half of it from rooftop PV
An abundance of rooftop solar generation has helped set a new record high for the total share of renewables on Australia’s main grid, reaching nearly 80 per cent on a sunny Friday afternoon in Spring.
Sophie Vorrath

Sep 18, 2026

10
Storage

Huge Liddell battery hits full commercial operations, completing state’s “firming” line-up ahead of El Niño summer
The huge, two-hour battery built at the site of a partly demolished coal plant reaches full commercial operation, marking a major milestone for the grid.
Sophie Vorrath

Sep 18, 2026

2
Policy & Planning

“It is not a pause:” Victoria insists transmission plan on track as network denies forced land buys being used
The Victorian government has denied claims it is backing away from its contested transmission plans, saying the cost reassessment is neither a pause nor a review.
Sophie Vorrath

Sep 17, 2026

1
Storage

State utility buys stake in new big battery, locks in November construction start
State utility helps to bring major new battery project to financial close, in a deal that secures 50 per cent of the battery’s output for 15 years.
Sophie Vorrath

Sep 17, 2026

6
Policy & Planning

Labor loses its spine on renewables as premier throws new energy minister, and transition, under the bus
One minute, Victoria’s new energy minister was promising industry stakeholders that Labor will hold the line on renewables. The next minute, her boss was saying the exact opposite.
Sophie Vorrath

Sep 16, 2026

7
Gas

Coalition vows to “go after gas” as it suggests “massive corruption” in renewables build-out
Coalition vows to”go after gas” and alleges massive corruption in renewables industry as party energy leaders clash ahead of state election.
Sophie Vorrath

Sep 15, 2026

6
Policy & Planning

New energy minister stays course on renewables, says equivocating will send projects to the “scrap heap”
New Victoria energy minister says equivocating on renewables will send projects to the “scrap heap”, and will stay the course on offshore wind, and home electrification.
Sophie Vorrath

Sep 15, 2026

1
Policy & Planning

Renewable energy czar proposes national standard to quell farmer insurance fears
National standard – drawn from pioneering work at country’s biggest wind farm – to address farmer concerns about public liability for hosting renewable projects.
Sophie Vorrath

Sep 15, 2026

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Policy & Planning

Administrators call time on Whyalla Steelworks’ coal furnace “delusion,” hundreds of jobs to go
Administrators of Whyalla Steelworks abandon efforts to reboot the plant’s coal-fired blast furnace, wiping out more than 500 jobs and adding fresh difficulty to the planned sale of the industrial giant.
Sophie Vorrath

Sep 14, 2026

4
Policy & Planning

Plug-in solar “not an overnight proposition,” says Bowen, as pressure mounts to legalise it within 10 months
Bowen says there is “a lot of work to do” to legalise plug-in solar and batteries. But experts say it’s not complicated, and want regulators handed a firm deadline.
Sophie Vorrath

Sep 14, 2026

8
Policy & Planning

Energy rebate specialist forced to surrender $6.2 million of certificates because of fake photos
One solar company fined $100,000 for failing to have fall protection in place, another made to forfeit $6.2m of energy efficiency certificates over allegations of false claims and doctored photos.
Sophie Vorrath

Sep 11, 2026

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