The influence of the University of New South Wales (UNSW) School of Photovoltaics and Renewable Energy Engineering spreads over the horizon like rays of sunlight through a coal haze. Its researchers are confidently working towards the time when terawatts of solar PV power people’s aspirations from Uttar Pradesh to Perth and Pennsylvania.

The CSIRO’s second ever Australian National Outlook, published today, invites Australians to consider two contrasting projections of our quality of life in 2060, and the shifts the country will need to implement to achieve a positive scenario. In the brightest outcome, renewable energy contributes to opportunities and an enviable lifestyle for generations to come.

The G20 meeting of environment and energy ministers in Karuizawa, Japan on the weekend came out largely in favour of adopting lower-emissions energy technologies: that means cleaner coal as well as driving development of solar- and wind-powered green hydrogen.

Hello hydrogen! A number of factors are floating renewably powered hydrogen to the top of the agenda for worldwide energy ministers. Australia is among the countries most favourably placed to turn hydrogen hype into the biggest source of decarbonised energy the world has yet seen.

As commercial operations begin to more routinely factor battery storage into their solar-energy-powered plans, insurance companies are assessing the accompanying fire risks. One such company has publicly released its guidance for property protection.

At the Clean Energy Council Large-scale Solar Forum yesterday, principal sponsor Longi launched its new Hi-MO 4 range of solar panels in Australia and spoke with pv magazine about its intention to better serve the local industry by opening a fully fledged sales and service office in Australia.

Town halls, swimming pools, art galleries, libraries — local councils strive to offer residents a plethora of services that enrich community life, while keeping rates to a minimum. Maranoa Regional Council is one of a cluster of Queensland councils drawing on solar energy to help keep costs low, while fuelling fun in Australia’s sunny north.

A new $200 million partnership with Bank Australia has boosted the capability of Sustainable Melbourne Fund to help all Australian commercial and agricultural enterprises become more sustainable. For many businesses, reducing electricity costs and emissions through solar PV installation has been the first project on their list.

A large-scale ESCO Pacific-championed solar project has received NSW Government approval, bringing to 26 the number of solar farms given the green light by the State since 2017. That’s another 100 MW towards the NSW goal of more than 10 GW of renewables by 2021.

New research by UNSW examines the economic barriers, the technologies and opportunities in recycling end-of-life silicon photovoltaic modules for profit.