New Zealand steps up approvals process for large-scale PV projects
Ten large-scale solar farms planned for New Zealand’s North and South islands are among 22 renewable energy projects with a combined capacity of 3 GW that have been listed for inclusion in the government’s “one-stop shop” fast-track approvals process.
Property owners look to large-scale solar to revitalize land
Renewables developer Lodestone Energy will build a 220 MW solar farm on one of New Zealand’s iconic high-country grazing properties, with the landowners targeting the PV facility to help rehabilitate redundant land.
Singapore fund acquires solar developer in New Zealand
Singapore-based renewable energy fund manager SC Oscar has purchased New Zealand solar project developer Rānui Generation as part of its strategy to build a portfolio of renewable energy assets in New Zealand and Australia.
The Hydrogen Stream: 1.2 TW of electrolyzers globally in development
Aurora Energy Research says it has recorded a sharp increase in green hydrogen projects, with 90% of them in early phases of development, while E.ON says that Germany’s hydrogen ramp-up is stuck due to an investment backlog.
New Zealand welcomes first big battery to national grid
New Zealand’s transition to a renewable energy future has taken a significant step forward with the nation’s first grid-scale battery energy storage project now offering injectable reserves to the electricity market for the first time.
Fonterra reveals high-temperature industrial heat pump
Fonterra, a New Zealand-based dairy producer, has started operating a new heat pump in combination with a solar thermal facility. The hybrid project transforms excess heat from chillers and compressors into a heat source for industrial use.
New Zealand’s largest utility-scale solar project starts generating power
Lodestone Energy has started generating electricity at its solar plant in Kaitaia, New Zealand – the nation’s largest solar array and first utility-scale PV installation to date.
Dynamic allocations increase financial savings in energy communities
A global research group has compared static, customized dynamic, and dynamic-by-default energy allocations at a collective self-consumption project in France. They have found that dynamic customization performs better due to tax benefits.
Rinnai launches hot water heat pump for residential applications
The new heat pump can purportedly provide hot water at a temperature of up to 70 C. It is specifically designed for climatic conditions with temperatures ranging from -10 C to 42 C, as well as coastal locations.
PV-powered robotic lawn mower from New Zealand
Researchers from Massey University in New Zealand have developed a robotic lawn mower with three 50 W solar panels and a 20 Ah lithium-iron-phosphate (LiFePO4) battery. Two of the PV panels can be retracted and stacked inside the robot. They slide out when it needs to recharge its batteries.
