Authors: James Plumb, Partner & Gemma Sweeney, Solicitor

The Queensland State Government has passed further changes to the resources regulatory regime.

The Natural Resources and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2019 (NROLA) was passed by Parliament on 15 May 2019 and amends a significant number of Acts, including some key changes to the following resources legislation:

1. The Mineral Resources Act 1989 (MR Act);
2. The Mineral and Energy Resources (Common Provisions) Act 2014; and
3. The Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004.

It is important to note that some changes commence on assent of NROLA and others are to be by proclamation.

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Author: Rodrigo Figueroa

According to ERCOT, the entity that oversees 90 percent of the State’s grid, as of January 2019 there was nearly 1,500 megawatts of installed utility-scale solar capacity in the ERCOT region, with that number expected to almost triple to 4,300 megawatts by the end of 2020 (one megawatt is enough to power about 200 homes in Texas during times of high-peak demand). As the demand and desire for solar energy continues to increase, utilities and solar companies in the ERCOT region are finding creative ways to deploy solar generating facilities and expand customer participation. One creative method used by utilities and solar companies is community solar.

Authors: Łukasz Karpiesiuk, Grzegorz Pizoń, & Łukasz Bondaruk

A growing trend is the development of electromobility as one of the strategic aspects of the Polish economy. Recently the stage of the legislative procedure was completed which involved gathering public comments on a draft regulation concerning a Low-Emission Transport Fund. The draft legislation would introduce specific financial tools to support development of the market and infrastructure of alternative transport fuels.

Authors: James Plumb, Partner & Timothy Bowles, Solicitor

In a further step towards lifting the moratorium on hydraulic fracturing of onshore unconventional reservoirs in the Northern Territory, the Territory government introduced the Petroleum Legislation Amendment Bill 2018 (NT) (Bill) into Parliament on 29 November 2018.

As part of its commitment to enact the 135 recommendations arising out of the Independent Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing, the draft Bill proposes the introduction of the following changes to the legislative regime:

1. The introduction of a broad right for any person to seek judicial review of a decision made by the regulator under the Petroleum Act or the Petroleum (Environment) Regulations;
2. A requirement for applicants for a permit or licence to be 'appropriate persons'; and
3. A requirement for the holders of permits and licences to comply with Codes of Practice (to be prescribed under Regulation), and the potential for penalties to be imposed for breach of such Codes.

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