Australia’s solar sector is poised to accelerate deployment as the country’s new government vows to unlock renewables investment, upgrade the grid and bring federal policy more in line with states and territories.
Mexico has secured commitments from 17 US companies that will result in the development of 1,854MW of solar and wind, according to the office of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
The Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) will invest AU$1.2 billion (US$856 million) in new transmission lines and infrastructure over the next ten years to accelerate the connection of planned renewable energy zones.
The US’ Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) that aims to address transmission grid planning and cost allocation issues in order to open up access to more renewable energy projects.
Australia’s 2022-23 Federal Budget has “missed the mark” when it comes to supporting the energy transition and has neglected investment in transmission infrastructure over investing in fossil fuels at a critical junction in Australia’s decarbonisation journey, said the Clean Energy Council (CEC).
California’s grid operator has green-lighted a new plan to upgrade and expand the state’s transmission system as more renewables come online amid increased electrification.
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has unanimously approved plans to add more than 25.5GW of renewables and 15GW of storage in the state by 2032 at a cost of US$49 billion.
California’s energy transition will need 53GW of solar PV by 2045, with the state’s transmission system requiring a US$30.5 billion investment alongside major increases in energy storage to accommodate the extra power.
US energy company Con Edison is seeking new electric and gas rates in 2023 to fund clean energy investments, in a proposal that includes a 200MW solar PV plant and four battery energy storage system (BESS) projects.
The US Department of Energy (DOE) has launched a “Building a Better Grid” initiative to catalyse the development of “new and upgraded high-capacity electric transmission lines” across the US under President Joe Biden’s US$1 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
