DO YOU KNOW a leader from Australia’s philanthropic, business or cultural community who is a champion of the arts?

Nominate them now for the 2021 Creative Partnerships Awards to see them recognised for their contribution to the arts sector.

The Creative Partnerships Awards are open to individuals from all Australian states and territories who show leadership in private giving and arts partnerships, and celebrates the commitment, dedication and contribution they make to Australia’s cultural life.

The deadline for nominations has been extended and now closes on Monday June 28, 2021, 5pm AEST. 

Head to the Creative Partnerships Australia website to learn more about the Creative Partnerships Awards and submit nominations.

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THE Indigenous Affairs Committee will this week conduct a roundtable discussion with representatives from the Departments of Health, Defence, Social Services, and Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications on the Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP) as part of its Inquiry into Pathways and Participation Opportunities for Indigenous Australians in Employment and Business.

Committee Chair, Julian Leeser MP, noted that this discussion on the implementation of the IPP, and on the Indigenous suppliers contracted through this policy, would make a valuable contribution to the inquiry.

"The Committee looks forward to discussing the goods and services that departments now procure from Indigenous businesses, and how the nature and volume of Indigenous suppliers may have changed, under the IPP," Mr Lesser said.

"We will also be interested to hear about the retention of Indigenous staff in these respective departments. It will be useful to consider how Indigenous employment opportunities could be improved across Government departments and agencies," Mr Leeser said.

Public hearing details

Date: Friday, 18 June 2021
Time: 1.30pm to 3pm AEST

A live audio stream of the hearing will be accessible at https://www.aph.gov.au/Watch_Read_Listen.

A full program will be available at the inquiry website.

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THE Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories will be briefed tomorrow by the National Capital Authority about issues relating to the nation’s capital.

The briefing will be broadcast live on the Parliament House website.

Committee Chair, Senator Sam McMahon, said, “The Committee anticipates discussing a range of contemporary matters with the National Capital Authority during the public briefing.

“The briefing process is an opportunity for the Committee to maintain an ongoing awareness of issues relating to Canberra and the National Capital Authority.”

Further information may be found on the Committee’s website.

Further information about the National Capital Authority can be found on its website.

Public hearing details

Date: Thursday 17 June 2021
Time: 11am to 11:45am

The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, committee hearings are not presently open for physical attendance by members of the public.

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FOTOWATIO Renewable Ventures (FRV),  a global leading provider of sustainable energy solutions has started construction on its first 5 MWac solar-storage hybrid power plant in Australia.

Located in the Dalby region of Queensland, the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) facility will feature 2.4 MWac of solar photovoltaic (PV) generation panels and a 2.5 MWac/5 MWh energy storage system which, once completed, will be one of the first co-located PV and BESS system greenfield developments in Australia.

The plant’s output will be connected to Ergon’s distribution network, allowing the hybrid power plant to supply and take electricity from the grid and trade in the National Electricity Market.

The plant is designed to be operated as a predictable and dispatchable generation plant, to provide a reliable energy output to Queensland customers. The system will have the ability to access the maximum number of markets and revenue streams, including arbitrage and FCAS*  services. 

Carlo Frigerio, managing director of FRV Australia, said, "Battery Energy Storage Systems are needed to support further investment in Queensland renewables and help maintain system security and reliability. This project will be critical to Queensland’s future energy supply and security as renewable energy capacity increases, with storage supporting solar and wind power coming into the market when it is most needed.

"The inclusion of PV as part of the project shows the importance of integrating solar and batteries in order to deliver dispatchable power."

Felipe Hernandez, global managing director of FRV-X, said, “FRV is already collaborating with governments, regulators, and partners around the world to lay the foundations for a new energy model. Energy storage will play a central and critical role to fully realise the power of renewable energy, and FRV acknowledges the value of this technology as a key element to achieve a decarbonised society."

This project is FRV’s ninth project in Australia becoming part of a total of about 640MWdc owned-projects’ portfolio.

Only last year, FRV reached three financial closes in Australia alone, demonstrating its continuing strong commitment to grow and consolidate its unique portfolio of solar and storage assets in the country.

The Dalby project also continues FRV’s global expansion in utility-scale storage systems. The company is aiming to further grow its pipeline of energy storage capacity and already has two battery projects in the UK; Holes Bay in Dorset, a 7.5 MW/15 MWh battery plant that has been operating since June 2020, and Contego, a 34MW/68 MWh battery project in West Sussex, that once completed in 2021, will be one of the most advanced and innovative energy storage systems in the UK. In addition to this, FRV has developed an advanced pipeline of battery projects in different countries.

The Dalby Hybrid Facility is expected to create job opportunities during construction and operations. FRV requires all construction partners working on its solar farm developments to hire local contractors and utilise local suppliers wherever possible.

Construction is expected to be completed in December 2021 and the facility has an operating life of around 30 years.

About FRV

Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV), part of Abdul Latif Jameel Energy, is a leading global renewable energy development company. In line with its ambition to continue leading the global transition to a more sustainable energy future, FRV has evolved from being just a developer to becoming an independent power producer.  www.frv.com

About Abdul Latif Jameel Energy

Abdul Latif Jameel Energy was established in 2012, and is now a leading independent power producer, and a premier service provider in the renewable energy sector, with interests in 16 countries around the world with capabilities in renewable energy, including solar PV, wind, waste-to-energy and environmental solutions, including desalination, water and wastewater treatment. alj.com/energy