The development of large-scale Renewable Energy Zones (REZs) is required prior to the expected retirement of power stations from the late 2020s and mid-2030s. The updated national roadmap for energy generation over the next 20 years (AEMO's 2020 ISP) includes further assessment of Renewable Energy Zones - regions with rich renewable energy generation resources. There are 35 REZs across the National Electricity Market. Tasmania has three Renewable Energy Zones: in [...]

The North West Tasmania Renewable Energy Zone (T2 REZ) has the potential to host significant wind, commercial solar and pumped hydro generation. As with other renewable energy zones across Australia, sufficient transmission capacity is crucial to unlock this potential. Essential transmission upgrades include a new transmission route from Staverton to Hampshire Hills. After considering landowner and community feedback, TasNetworks has today announced the preferred route for a proposed new transmission [...]

Here is a brief round up of some of the international media coverage on yesterday’s release of Australia’s electricity roadmap (The AEMO ISP): Climate Council: “AEMO Report: We can Transition to Renewables without new Gas” ? Australia can rapidly transition to 90% renewable energy in the 2030s, with the modelling showing coal can be rapidly replaced with no need for any new gas-fired generation. Yahoo Finance Canada: “Australia Sees $10 [...]

The biennial national strategic roadmap for transitioning away from coal towards renewable energy (the ISP) was released today, showing that Marinus Link and Battery of the Nation are at center stage. The modelling recommends that $140 million in early works for Marinus Link commences as soon as possible and be complete no later than 2023-24, in order for the first cable to be operational by 2028-29 - the earliest that [...]

Suitable locations for long duration pumped hydro are very rare globally. Fortunately this isn't the case on the Cradle Coast. In March 2019, Hydro Tasmania announced three preferred locations for adding pumped hydro to existing hydro assets: Lake Cethana in the Mersey-Forth with a capacity of 600MW and a storage duration of 11 hours, Lake Rowallan in the Mersey-Forth with a capacity of 600MW and a storage duration of 24 [...]

The Premier’s Economic and Social Recovery Advisory Council Interim Report, released yesterday, acknowledges the importance of renewable energy and Marinus Link in supporting short to medium, and longer term recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Under "Major Project Facilitation", the report states: "The second Bass Strait electricity interconnector - Project Marinus - is another major project being progressed by the State Government, with substantial financial support from the Australian Government. In [...]

What would a green hydrogen plant in Burnie look like? For comparison, initial investment for a $300 million green hydrogen plant has recently been secured in Western Australia, for what will be Australia's largest hydrogen plant. It will produce 25 tonnes of hydrogen per day and create 300 construction jobs, and is aiming to be operational by 2022. The hydrogen will replace fossil fuels that produce 78,000 tonnes per year [...]

The Battery of the Nation has been named as one of the top ten major national infrastructure projects set to influence property markets, in research undertaken by property market analyst Propertyology. Burnie was specifically named in the list of 25 property market beneficiaries. The only other Tasmanian market listed was Hobart, which will benefit from further Hobart Airport upgrades. Battery of the Nation is one of three renewable energy projects [...]

The world's most relied upon renewable energy source isn't wind or the sun - it's water. Worldwide hydroelectricity generation hit a record 4,306 terawatt hours (TWh) in 2019, the single greatest contribution from a renewable energy source in history. The International Hydropower Association concluded from their 2020 Hydropower Status report that the Covid-19 pandemic has underlined hydropower’s resilience and critical role in delivering clean, reliable and affordable energy, especially in [...]

At the 2020 CEC Clean Energy Forum last week, Minister for Energy and Emissions Reductions Angus Taylor noted that there has been significant interest in this years' national $70 million (ARENA) Renewable Hydrogen Development Round attracted 36 expressions of interest for funding towards projects with a total value of over $3 billion. Running concurrently, Tasmania's $50 million Renewable Hydrogen Fund, the biggest in the nation, is still open. Green hydrogen [...]