With 50 small utility scale arrays installed at South Australian farms, Yates Electrical Services is looking to continue its work in adding power-exporting PV arrays to rural properties. The next step: adding storage to trade during peak demand periods, and moving into solar power retailing, says Mark Yates.

With market penetration exceeding expectations in 2018, bifacial technology is set to account for one third of global solar module production by 2022, writes Edurne Zoco, Research Director at IHS Markit. Bifacial and half-cell technologies are rapidly gaining momentum due to their improvements in power output, along with their low implementation barriers and minimal capex requirements.

Matching solar supply and energy consumption within a household or business can deliver powerful energy savings. When extended over multi-dwelling properties, like apartment buildings or retirement communities, the benefits are multiple, says Cameron Knox co-founder and CEO of Allume Energy. 

Lithium ion battery technology continues to hog the limelight, powered by the growing demand for the battery chemistry from the EV sector. But long established lead acid batteries also have a future, argues Alistair Davidson, the Director of the Consortium for Battery Innovation (CBI).

The Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (WA-EPA) has announced that it will open its greenhouse gas guidelines on June 10, 2019, for public and stakeholder consultation. Its earlier moves to incorporate greenhouse emissions into its evaluation process for resource-industry projects met with strong pushback from the state’s powerful mining lobby.

While the world’s biggest solar manufacturers are confident there are plenty of alternative markets for a rising volume of panel exports, the message spelled out by first-quarter shipment figures is that protectionism works.

Angus Taylor has been re-appointed Minister for Energy, as announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunday.  Taylor will oversee an expanded portfolio and will serve as the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction.  

A renewable energy project that started as a way to provide extra income for grape and citrus growers has built its 50th small-scale solar farm in South Australia.

Australian mining giant BHP has announced its intentions to move away from thermal coal production and refocus its attentions on oil, nickel and copper, the latter two supplying fast-growing EV and renewables sectors.

With almost 100 GW commissioned in 2018 (the same level as in 2017), the PV market was stable at a global level, writes Becquerel Institute’s Gaëtan Masson. This hides different market developments, as for example the decline of the Chinese PV market from 53 to 45 GW, and growth in other markets. The global market, exempting China, grew from 41 GW in 2016 to 46 GW in 2017, a rather big jump as it reached close to 55 GW in 2018.