The Northern Territory of Australia Takes Tentative Solar & EV Steps Forward
A little bit of background: the Northern Territory covers almost one and a half million square kilometres (or 520,902 square miles), and has a population of only 246,500. 49% of the land in the Northern Territory is owned by the indigenous population. The economy is based largely on mining and petroleum. Most of the population lives in Darwin, the capital, with a spread of settlements along the Stuart Highway heading down to Adelaide. The north of the territory is tropical savannah, the south is desert. It is not a state — has a legislative assembly but can be overruled by the Commonwealth.
Image courtesy of David Waterworth
I’ve only travelled to the Northern Territory once. A couple of decades ago, I flew from Brisbane to Uluru (then known as Ayers Rock). One could not help but be impressed by the vastness of the place, and the heat! We visited the rock at dawn (it was too hot otherwise) and even drank champagne with a motorcycle group at sunset. Now the Northern Territory is in the news for other reasons.
Image courtesy of David Waterworth
It is implementing a plan to support the introduction of electric vehicles. The Northern Territory government will charge reduced registration and stamp duty fees for electric vehicles; give grants for home, workplace and public EV chargers; and facilitate the installation of more EV charging stations.
“Implementation of this electric vehicle policy confirms our Government’s actions on addressing climate risk to transition to a low-carbon economy. Responding to climate change will not only help us protect our environment, but will support this new industry and the jobs that come with it,” Ms. Lawler, Minister for Renewables and Energy, said.
Tapping into the territory’s rich solar resources and vast open spaces (no need for NIMBYism here) many projects are being planned to transform the Northern Territory into a renewable energy powerhouse. Australia’s Beyond Zero Emissions (BZE) has a “10 Gigawatt Vision for the Northern Territory,” with massive job creation potential and a future in the export of green hydrogen.
The Northern Territory has set a 50% renewable energy target. Part of its success will depend on big batteries and more and more solar. A 35MW big battery is planned for Darwin to displace current dependence on gas generation. The federal government is supporting the push with a $37 million loan from the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) to create a 10MW solar and battery station being built south of Darwin.
Jabiru, gateway to Kakadu National Park (think lots of crocs!!), has no grid connection. Energy Developments Limited is building a hybrid diesel, solar, and battery microgrid to power the town. It is expected to be fully operational by February 2022.
The Northern Territory contains the heart of the Australian Nation (Uluru). This heart is now going solar.
Leading yard operation 3PL YMX Logistics has announced plans to deploy fully twenty (20) of Orange EV’s fully electric Class 8 terminal trucks at a number of distribution and manufacturing sites across North America.
As the shipping and logistics industries increasingly move to embrace electrification, yard operations have proven to be an almost ideal use case for EVs, enabling companies like Orange EV, which specialize in yard hostlers or terminal tractors, to drive real, impactful change. To that end, companies like YMX are partnering with Orange EV.
“This relationship between YMX and Orange EV is a significant step forward in transforming yard operations across North America,” said Matt Yearling, CEO of YMX Logistics. “Besides the initial benefits of reduction in emissions and carbon footprint, our customers are also seeing improvements in the overall operational efficiency and seeking to expand. Our team members have also been sharing positive feedback about their new equipment and highlighting the positive impact on their health and day-to-day activities.”
This Orange looks good in blue
One of the most interesting aspects of this story – beyond the Orange EV HUSK-e XP’s almost unbelievable 180,000 lb. GCWR spec. – is that this isn’t a story about California’s ports, which mandate EVs. Instead, YMX is truly deploying these trucks throughout the country, with at least four currently in Chicago (and more on the way).
“Our collaboration with YMX Logistics represents a powerful stride in delivering sustainable yard solutions at scale for enterprise customers,” explains Wayne Mathisen, CEO of Orange EV. “With rising demand for electric yard trucks, our joint efforts ensure that more companies can access the environmental, financial, and operational benefits of electrification … this is a win for the planet, the workforce, and the bottom line of these organizations.”
We interviewed Orange EV founder Kurt Neutgens on The Heavy Equipment Podcast a few months back, but if you’re not familiar with these purpose-built trucks, it’s worth a listen.
HEP-isode 26
SOURCE | IMAGES: YMX Logistics.
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On today’s thrilling episode of Quick Charge, we’ve got the all-new Hyundai IONIQ 9 and its “a “rolling living room” pivoting captain’s chairs, Kia gets a go-fast 7 passenger SUV and an updated EV6, while Honda announces plans to start producing solid-state batteries at its new facility in just a few weeks.
We’ve also got big news for American workers – a Minnesota power company is ditching coal for solar while ExxonMobil and LG Chem get to work extracting thousands of tons of lithium out of Tennessee’s soil.
Today’s episode is sponsored by BLUETTI, a leading provider of portable power stations, solar generators, and energy storage systems. For a limited time, save up to 52% during BLUETTI’s exclusive Black Friday sale, now through November 28, and be sure to use promo code BLUETTI5OFF for 5% off all power stations sitewide. Learn more by clicking here.
You can watch the episode, below.
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Read more: Farm-fegnugen? Volkswagen rolls out an electric tractor.
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Arevon Energy has kicked off operations at Vikings Solar-plus-Storage – one of the US’s first utility-scale solar peaker plants.
The $529 million project in Imperial County, California, near Holtville, features 157 megawatts of solar power paired with 150 megawatts/600 megawatt hours of battery storage.
Vikings Solar-plus-Storage is designed to take cheap daytime solar power and store it for use during more expensive peak demand times, like late afternoons and evenings. The battery storage system can quickly respond to changes in demand, helping tackle critical grid needs.
Vikings leverages provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act that support affordable clean energy, strengthen grid resilience, boost US manufacturing, and create good jobs.
The Vikings project has already brought significant benefits to the local area. It employed over 170 people during construction, many local workers, and boosted nearby businesses like restaurants, hotels, and stores. On top of that, Vikings will pay out more than $17 million to local governments over its lifespan.
“Vikings’ advanced design sets the standard for safe and reliable solar-plus-storage configurations,” said Arevon CEO Kevin Smith. “The project incorporates solar panels, trackers, and batteries that showcase the growing strength of US renewable energy manufacturing.”
The project includes Tesla Megapack battery systems made in California, First Solar’s thin-film solar panels, and smart solar trackers from Nextracker. San Diego-based SOLV Energy handled the engineering, procurement, and construction work.
San Diego Community Power (SDCP) will buy the energy from the Vikings project under a long-term deal, helping power nearly 1 million customer accounts. SDCP and Arevon have also signed an agreement for the 200 MW Avocet Energy Storage Project in Carson, California, which will start construction in early 2025.
Vikings is named after the Holtville High School mascot, and Arevon is giving back to the local community by funding scholarships for deserving Holtville High students.
Arevon is a major renewable energy developer across the US and a key player in California, with nearly 2,500 MW in operation and more than 1,250 MW under construction.
Read more: Minnesota’s largest coal plant goes solar: Sherco Solar comes online
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