Australian billionaire Andrew Forrest is championing the concept of "real zero," which involves completely eliminating fossil fuels with zero-carbon alternatives. His company, Fortescue, is investing billions to achieve real zero by 2030, focusing on decarbonizing its operations through technologies like wind, solar, and electric vehicles. Battery-electric long-haul trucks (BETs) are projected to reach cost parity with diesel equivalents by 2026, with total cost expected to be 15-22% lower by 2030. Green hydrogen-based steel production in Japan and green ammonia for fertilizer production in India are also showing promising cost competitiveness with fossil routes. Eliminating fossil fuels makes solid commercial sense, as renewables are now the cheapest source of power, and the Real Zero approach is the winning business case for sustainability.
Tag: Australia
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Australia introduces Guarantee of Origin scheme for clean energy exports
The Australian Government has introduced the Guarantee of Origin (GO) scheme, a voluntary framework to support businesses and exporters in tapping into the demand for renewable electricity. The scheme aims to provide emissions accounting and certification of renewable electricity for products, offering transparency for consumers and access to low-emissions markets for Australian producers. The Clean Energy Regulator will administer the scheme, certifying emissions of products like hydrogen and green metals, as well as renewable electricity, providing regulatory certainty for businesses and investors to increase Australia's share in the global clean energy market. Additionally, initiatives such as the Hydrogen HeadStart program, Hydrogen Production Tax Incentive, and Green Aluminium Production Credit are being launched to support the energy transition, showcasing how products are made and their life cycle emissions to compete in a decarbonizing global economy and attract investment in Australia.
https://www.power-technology.com/news/australia-introduces-guarantee-of-origin-scheme/
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Man behind Australia’s most powerful battery named one of Time’s climate titans, with Pope and King Charles
Nick Cater, CEO of Akaysha Energy, has been named one of Time Magazine's Climate100 for his role in building the Waratah Super Battery, the most powerful battery in Australia. The battery is acting as a "shock absorber" to help fill gaps created by coal closures. Carter emphasizes the importance of bipartisan support for climate solutions and advocates for a global carbon platform and market. Akaysha is involved in building several battery projects in Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria to address energy storage challenges and contribute to resolving climate issues. Supporting independent media like Renew Economy can help promote accurate information on climate solutions.
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“Forget subsidies:” Solar-battery hybrids can deliver “incredibly competitive” power for big industry
Quinbrook, the developer of Australia's biggest battery, is focusing on hybrid solar and storage projects to power industrial energy needs at a competitive cost without government support. They are planning to build a smelting facility in Townsville powered by renewables, utilizing long-duration "infrastructure batteries" paired with cheap renewables. Australia is seeing a rise in DC-coupled solar-battery hybrid projects, with Quinbrook's partnership with China battery giant CATL allowing them to build batteries at a lower cost. Advancements in solar technology and batteries have led to historically low costs for solar energy, providing cheap and reliable energy for up to 18 hours a day in sunny locations like Gladstone and Townsville, without relying on government subsidies.
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Wärtsilä to provide DC-coupled energy storage system in Australia
Wärtsilä is working on a project in Australia to provide a large energy storage system that will help the country reach its net-zero emissions target by 2045. The system, expected to be operational by 2028, will power up to 120,000 homes and businesses by integrating solar generation with battery storage to minimize energy losses and enhance grid stability. Wärtsilä's advanced control technology will be crucial in overseeing the integration of the energy storage system and solar assets with the grid's connection requirements, showcasing a promising step towards sustainable energy solutions.
https://www.power-technology.com/news/wartsila-dc-coupled-energy-storage/