Carnegie Wave Energy has secured a $10.3m grant from the federal government to support its $32m grid-connected CETO wave energy project which will be located at Garden Island, near Perth in Western Australia.

In Australia, an energy technology firm has frozen development of a contentious A$1.2bn ($1.23bn) brown coal gas hybrid power plant after a ruling by a tribunal effectively delayed construction, putting the future of the project in doubt.

There will be a six-fold increase of wind farm generation in New Zealand, producing 20 per cent of the country’s electricity by 2030, according to analysis by the New Zealand Wind Energy Association.

Australia's AGL Energy said it would take full control of Australia’s largest coal power station, buying out Japan's Tepco and investment funds for A$448 million ($480m), in a deal that will boost earnings from fiscal 2013.

BP Plc LSE: BP NYSE: BP plans to withdraw from a venture seeking Australian government funds to build a solar-power generation project in the state of New South Wales.

Xstrata PLC, (LSE: XTA, SIX: XTAN) the world's largest thermal-coal exporter by volume, may sell part of its proposed six billion Australian dollar (US$6.44bn) Wandoan project in Australia, which aims to be a key supplier to Asian power generators.

TrustPower plans to start construction on a new $13m hydro electricity generation scheme in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.

The New South Wales government in Australia went into the election last March planning to merge the three existing electricity distributors into two, and now plans have progressed further.

Australian gas transmission and distribution firm APA Group have announced a takeover offer for rival Hastings Diversified Utilities Fund (HDF) in a deal giving HDF an enterprise value of A$1.8 bn ($1.82 bn).

Australia’s auditor-general has reported that the state of New South Wales (NSW) made a profit of over A$1.23bn ($1.28bn) on the partial sale of the state’s power assets.

Australian gas producer Santos expects demand for gas in the east of the country to triple over the next 10 years.

New Zealand’s science and innovation minister Wayne Mapp has announced that the country will join the International Partnership for Geothermal Technology (IPGT).

An Australian energy company wants to build two gas fired power stations in Queensland which it claims would boost the state’s electricity generation by 20 per cent.

Australian energy company HRL is taking its fight to build a new power station to a tribunal this week as it faces increasing opposition from environmental groups.

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) said that Queensland will need additional investments for its power generation sector to meet the predicted power deficit by 2013-2014.

Indian wind turbine manufacture giant, Suzlon Energy Limited is planning to construct a A$1.3bn ($1.4bn) wind farm in South Australia, according to the state government.

First Solar, Verve Energy, and GE Energy Financial Services have jointly announced that Australia’s first utility-scale solar power project is under way.

Ian Kearney, chairman of New Zealand’s Network Tasman, said that Network Tasman was undertaking a feasibility study into joining SmartCo, a consortium of 14 companies which wants to spend $200m installing electronic meters equipped with Home Area Network (HAN) radios capable of wirelessly controlling smart home appliances.

Contact Energy has reported a 3 per cent fall in full year profit, but said it was set for earnings growth in the coming year.