Bifacial solar panels, string inverters and advanced tracking systems are fast becoming the technologies of choice for developers of large-scale solar according to new data provided by Spain-based software company and analytics provider RatedPower.

Australia has rapidly become one of the world’s most attractive destination for hyperscale data centres, ranking within the top 5-10 markets globally by capacity. Several factors explain this rise: large land availability within Renewable Energy Zones, fast-growing renewable penetration surpassing 40% across the National Electricity Market, geopolitical stability, Australia’s status as a trusted Five Eyes jurisdiction, and proximity to Asia-Pacific demand centres.

Construction has officially started on Octopus Australia’s Blind Creek Solar Farm and battery project in southern New South Wales, one of the biggest DC-coupled hybrid projects being developed in the country.

Plans to build Australia’s first large-scale silicon ingot and wafer manufacturing facility in Queensland have been put on the fast track by the federal government in a nod to the project’s potential to play a key role in supporting a domestic solar supply chain.

Potentia Energy has completed the installation of more than 161,000 solar modules at its Quorn Park hybrid solar-plus-storage project in western New South Wales, marking a new milestone in Australia’s renewable energy transition.

Australia’s rooftop solar market has bounced back into record-setting territory with 281 MW of new capacity registered across the country last month, marking the largest February total on record.

Nearly 20 years after the first perovskite solar cell was created, the efficiency and durability of this small but highly efficient film have attracted attention from industries around the world. Front of the queue is the global defence industry, where rising geopolitical tensions are resulting in record spending by governments to boost capabilities and protect critical systems from attack, whether from natural disasters or more sinister threats like military conflict.

Fortescue has begun construction of Western Australia’s biggest solar farm to date as the company pushes ahead with plans to decarbonise its Australian iron ore operations by the end of the decade.

Queensland-based gas business Arrow Energy has turned to solar and battery energy storage to help power it coal-seam gas operations in the Queensland’s Surat Basin.

Output from Australia’s large-scale renewable energy sector continues to climb with the nation’s utility PV and wind assets generating a total of 5.0 TWh in February, delivering an 11% increase on the same time last year.