Australia

Australia will spend AU$770 million or US$819 million for its Solar Flagships programme.

A Leighton-GE consortium has been awarded a $130 million engineering, procurement and constructioncontract to build the Mumbida wind farm south-east of Geraldton.

Wärtsilä and Versa Power Systems agreed to cooperate in developing and integrating Versa Power’s SOFC technology into Wärtsilä products.

Energy providers are already facing challenges around energy security, price volatility and climate change concerns.

In this day and age when it’s critical how we manage our resources, whether or not we are in an economic slump, the key is efficiency. But how do we ensure efficient processes particularly in networks? The answer is by going smart.

Energy Matters and its sister company Apollo Energy became the first in Asia-Pacific to be accepted into the REC Partner Program at a Platinum level.

Australian Resources Minister Martin Ferguson asked the nation's electricity providers to replace ageing networks.

Altona Energy will apply Rentech's technologies in gasification of coal and biomass at its Arckaringa project located in South Australia.

Australia has agreed to provide an untied grant of A$21.584 million for ADB-administered trust funds targeted at water investment and clean energy initiatives in Asia and the Pacific.

Greg Combet, has reduced the Solar Credits support multiplier from 1 July 2011 to three, and to two on 1 July 2012.

Trina Solar has strengthened its presence in Australia by opening a sales and business development office in Sydney.

Australia is expecting its first delivery of commercial geothermal power in Petratherm's Paralana project by the end of 2012.

With the deployment of renewable energy technologies exponentially increasing annually, more resources are being allocated to all aspects of the energy sector. A multi-disciplinary approach is needed to identify what the major issues that networks will face over the next few decades in transitioning from fossil fuel based generation to cleaner, primarily renewable generation. The current belief by many is that future smart grids will provide the transmission, distribution and communication networks that will solve all the issues currently being raised by network operators.

The project will  help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 45%.

CBD Energy is finalising its joint venture with  China’s China Datang Renewable Power and Tianwei Baobian Electric.

Areva will construct a $110.17 million solar thermal addition to CS Energy's coal-fired Kogan Creek power station.