Greentech Lead Australia: Australia’s non-hydro
renewables generation will reach 7.4 terawatt hours (TWh) in 2012 equivalent to
real year-on-year (y-o-y) growth of 6.6 percent, according to the
latest “Australia Renewables Report Q4 2012” report from
Research and Markets.
The development of renewables in Australia will be
dependent on state-level policies. On July 1 2012, the government of Australia
introduced carbon tax – a move that sets the stage for a wave of renewable
energy growth in Australia.
However, the pace of renewables development shows the
country may not achieve its target of generating 20 percent of its electricity
from renewable energy by 2020. Wind energy will continue to dominate the
country’s renewable mix to 2021, despite growing at a slower rate than solar
energy.
Wind energy will make up over 60 percent of 2012’s
non-hydro renewable generation, despite growing at a slower rate than solar
energy.
Between 2012 and 2021, the author forecasts non-hydro
renewables generation to register annual average real growth of 8.7 percent.
The Carbon Tax Scheme could greatly enhance the economic
competitiveness of renewable energy relative to thermal energy. Under the
scheme, 294 of the country’s top greenhouse gas emitters will have to pay AUD23
(US$23.1) per ton of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions annually.
Another significant change that happened in the industry
was the cancellation of the plan to build 150MW Moree solar PV farm, after the
consortium developing the project failed to secure a power purchase agreement.
Wind farm development regulations were proposed in the
states of New South Wales and South Australia in late 2011 and early 2012.
These proposed regulations introduce a number of new legal and planning
requirements, including a minimum 2km distance of turbines from residential
areas.
Siemens to provide wind turbines for 270 MW wind project
in Australia
In another significant development in the industry,
Siemens has signed an agreement to supply 90 of its gearless SWT-3.0 wind
turbines with TrustPower, a New Zealand based energy retailer, for the 270 MW
Snowtown II Wind Farm in Australia.
editor@greentechlead.com