Distributed Storage

New South Wales network operator Ausgrid has switched on the second community battery rolled out under an Australian government national funding program that has sparked an “overwhelming” response with more than $3.5 billion (USD 2.28 billion) of projects seeking funding.

The PV industry in Southeast Asia has come a long way since guest author Ragna Schmidt-Haupt, partner at Everoze, reported on solar financing innovation in the region more than a decade ago. In this article, she outlines five factors for success, the newest of which has the potential to become a game changer, and not only in Southeast Asia.

United States solar and energy storage solutions manufacturer Bluetti has launched a modular 7,600 W lithium iron phosphate battery system for residential settings with a flexible energy storage capacity ranging from 9.9 kWh to 19.8 kWh.

LAVO, which entered the market with its hydrogen battery in 2021, has soft launched a new Energy-as-a-Service model. Partnering with Yingli Solar, LAVO says it can install and maintain solar, battery and EV charging systems at no upfront cost to Australian households, who will then pay off the systems via a 10-year subscription.

Chinese solar panel manufacturer AIKO unveiled its solar cell technology at Melbourne’s All-Energy event last week ahead of an impending entry into the Australian market.

One of Australia’s “big four” banks, the Commonwealth Bank, will begin offering interest-free finance up to $30,000 to install rooftop solar and home batteries with select merchants. The program will also allow customers to split repayments into instalments over one to five years.

A lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery system recently exploded in a home in central Germany, preventing police and insurance investigators from entering due to the high risk of collapse. The explosion may have been preceded by off-gassing, but it remains unclear whether an external ignition source was the cause. Some scientists say thermal runaway may have triggered the blast.

Researchers from the Australian PV Institute are part of an international group of scientists that have devised a list of recommendations to support the creation of solar neighborhoods. In a recently published study they highlight the importance of legislative frameworks and advanced computing.

Queensland battery company Redback Technologies offered a first look at its latest generation hybrid battery storage product at All-Energy this week, flagging it will offer special discounts to early customers when the product officially hits the market in Q2, 2024.

A 17.6 kW battery hybrid solar system installed on a three-level home overlooking the central Queensland coastline has earned installer Solpac Energy Solutions top honours in this year’s Clean Energy Council Solar Design and Installation Awards.