Energy

The vast emptiness of WA has proved to be an advantage when developing skills in the rollout of new electricity technology.

Two microgrid projects worth a combined $123 million have moved forward today as the technology becomes increasingly mainstream, with Gold Fields and GMA Garnet mine sites to have big renewable power and storage components.

Wesfarmers subsidiary Evol LNG has secured a six-year deal to supply gas for a 14.5-megawatt power station to be operated by Zenith Energy at the Kirkalocka gold mine.

Tempo Australia has emerged from a one-and-a-half month trading halt to announce it has agreed terms in-principle with Enel Energy that will potentially prevent a cost blowout at a major solar contract.

Woodside Petroleum has forecast its 2019 output will be at the lower end of its guidance of 88 million to 94 million barrels of oil equivalent, as a result of maintenance issues at its Pluto liquefied natural gas plant.

AGL Energy has announced a new $3.02 billion offer for telco Vocus less than a week after Swedish private equity firm EQT Infrastructure scrapped its own takeover bid for the Sydney-based company.

Valmec has secured a $4.5 million contract at Australian Gas Infrastructure Group's Hydrogen Park production facility.

A Willetton-based nominee company associated with contractor Pascoe's Gas, Water & Electrical has been hit with an increased fine after refusing to provide documents to the state government, which is trying to clarify the precise links between the two entities.

Western Power chief executive Guy Chalkley has been appointed to the network operator's board, while Kathryn Barrie will wear two hats as a director of the business and continuing in a senior role at the Public Utilities Office.

Chevron has started the second stage of its Gorgon drilling campaign, which will create 11 new wells at the $5 billion project on Western Australia's north-west coast.

The Environmental Protection Authority will commence formal consultation next month on its greenhouse gas guidelines, refuting media reports it has already decided to revive the guidelines that caused industry outrage earlier this year.

ASX-listed Strike Energy will not receive its federal government research and development tax credits for the 2018 financial year, a week after West Perth-based Northern Minerals was ordered to pay back 50 per cent of its $21.56 million R&D rebate for the same financial year.

Andrew Forrest has pounced on a potential play to supply WA gas to an east coast industrial market pounded by high prices.

Horizon Power chair Stephen Edwell has been picked to lead the state government's Energy Transformation Taskforce, two months after a review into energy policy was first announced.

Further downward pressure on gas prices is likely with the owners of the state's major transmission pipeline planning a big cut in costs.

The state government announced it would spend $11.6 million on the installation of solar farms and energy storage in remote Aboriginal communities as part of this years' State Budget.

Our list of seven reasons why WA will continue to be at the forefront of development of traditional fuels.

The battery minerals boom may have captured the public's imagination, but WA is also at the vanguard of applying batteries and other technologies at the consumer level.

Free to read: From resources projects to rooftops, the technological revolution under way in energy will have a lasting impact on Western Australia.

The state is developing from a gas exporter to produce a range of energy commodities and technological innovations, with energy exports to potentially hit $50 billion in a decade.

Zenith Energy is seeking to raise $25 million via a share placement to fund equity requirements for ongoing construction of power generation and infrastructure projects.

Govermment funds earmarked for a biomass energy plant and solar farm at Collie have been transferred to a new $60 million job creation fund that aims to create a long-term future for the town as coal mining winds down in coming years.

BHP Group executive Edgar Basto has been elected president of the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of WA, which has also unveiled new branding.

LandCorp and energy trading platform Power Ledger have unveiled a 100 per cent renewable energy residential development at East Village at Knutsford near Fremantle.

Tempo Australia has appointed the former chief executive of failed engineering firm RCR Tomlinson as an adviser, as a potential cost overrun looms over its Victorian solar energy project.

Electricity and gas retailer Origin Energy has posted a 53 per cent rise in third-quarter gas production revenue from its stake in Australia Pacific LNG, driven by higher oil prices.

Decmil has been awarded a $79 million contract for balance of plant works at the $400 million Yandin wind farm.

The state government has announced it will spend $251 million to install advanced electricity meters, bringing WA in line with other states.

The consumer watchdog says price compare website iSelect misled customers for two years by recommending energy retailers that paid it higher commissions.

Oil Search has signed an agreement with the Papua New Guinean government for the Papua LNG Project, enabling initial work to begin on the giant development.

OPINION: Global oversupply and price pressure, in addition to local environmental regulations, could spell trouble for major LNG projects.

A joint venture between Perth-based Clough and Italy's Salini Impregilo has been awarded a $5.1 billion engineering, procurement and construction contract for the federal government's Snowy 2.0 project.