Green developers say $100,000 award will help them build a village

The group behind a series of "deep green" inner-city apartment projects – which attempt to cut profit-driven developers out of the construction process to reduce housing costs – has won a $100,000 state government award to push ahead with their latest project.

Architects Fairley Batch (left) and Rachel Nolan on the
 site of what will become Nightingale Village.

Nightingale Housing will on Thursday be given the first grant from the Andrews government's $1 million "Social Impact Investment" sustainability fund.

The not-for-profit organisation was established to share knowledge and support architects, who often invest in the projects. Profits are capped at 15 percent - far less than is normal in the Australian development sector.

Read the story in today’s Age by Clay Lucas - “Green developers say $100,000 award will help them build a village.”

Battery storage held back by ignorance of regulators, ministers.

Leading battery storage developers have expressed their frustration that ignorance among regulators and energy ministers is holding the technology back, despite it being cost competitive.

The ignorance of legislators and energy ministers
is frustrating battery storage developers.

They claim that Australian energy ministers and regulators are simply unaware that the technology has been deployed at scale around the world, and simply don’t appreciate what the technology can do to support the energy transition.

The lament is not a new one, but it got a public airing last week in devastating testimony at the Senate committee inquiry into the resilience of Australia’s energy markets.

And it is a particularly hot topic given the political row over blackouts and near-misses in recent months, and the frustration from battery storage developers that regulators have been slow to change rules that favour fossil fuel generators and disadvantage their technology.

Lyon Solar, which hopes to have 350MWh of battery storage in the South Australia market by the end of next financial year, told the inquiry that Australian authorities simply did not understand the potential of battery storage.

Read the RenewEconomy story - “Battery storage held back by ignorance of regulators, ministers.”

Green village on way

(Nice idea, but it is still a greenfield site remote from most of the services people need on a daily basis and so with limited public transport, people will need to drive to complete most any activity and regardless of whether the vehicles are electric or otherwise, an energy infrastructure is still need to support them. Good idea, but it needs to be somewhere much closer to the heart of the city – Robert McLean)

A forward-thinking ‘‘over 50s’’ village under construction at Kialla will be powered largely by energy produced on-site, its developers say.

It takes a green approach to downsizing.

Solar and wind powered street lights and electric car charging ports in garages are a couple of the features being built at the ‘‘Freedom Place’’ development, adjacent to Melbourne Rd, Kialla.

The joint venture between real estate agent Ken McNamara and orchardist-businessman Sam Sali will produce its own power, and residents are expected to pay minimal for electricity, its developers say.

Read the story in today’s Shepparton News - “Green Village on way.”