The Australian government has formalised a $70 million (USD 49.95 million) investment to help develop the Bell Bay Hydrogen Hub in northern Tasmania with construction of the project scheduled to commence this year with completion planned for early 2028.

Bluebird Solar has developed half-cut mono passivated emitter and rear contact (PERC) solar modules based on M10-sized cells. The modules are available with outputs ranging from 400 W to 550 W.

Canadian renewable energy company Amp Energy will push ahead with plans to develop and build a green hydrogen project with up to 10 GW of electrolyser capacity in South Australia after extending its exclusive lead developer deal with Australian minerals company Iron Road.

The Commonwealth and New South Wales governments have announced a $206 million package aimed at funding energy saving upgrades in social housing properties and increasing access to solar for low-income renters and apartment residents across the state.

The National Farmers’ Federation is calling on the federal government to expedite the public release of findings from a review into community engagement on renewables projects and energy infrastructure upgrades as it seeks to improve social licence during the transition to renewables.

Electric vehicle sales have surged in Australia with data from the nation’s peak motoring body showing that battery electric vehicles accounted for more than 7% of total new light vehicle sales in Australia in 2023, with more than 87,000 purchased.

Oversupply is hitting some solar manufacturers hard but grid constraints and labor shortages are unlikely to hold the solar industry back in 2024.

New Zealand-based dairy producer Fonterra has started operating a new heat pump in combination with a solar thermal facility. The hybrid project transforms excess heat from chillers and compressors into a heat source for industrial use.

With global irradiance above average in Australia, Southeast Asia and Europe, and stable in the United States, solar data provider Solargis says stakeholders should focus on the stability of power grids, while navigating solar financing complexities in developing economies and supply chain capacities in 2024.

Distributed energy resources (DERs), sometimes called “consumer energy resources”, like rooftop PV and residential batteries, have a big role to play in Australia’s energy transition. This is even more true as major infrastructure faces challenges in winning community acceptance and gaining the required approvals. But how best to manage expanding DERs? A team of UNSW researchers including Anna Bruce, Baran Yildiz, Dani Alexander, and Mike Roberts set out the challenges and opportunities.