Events

The Clean Energy Council (CEC) will host its first Clean Energy Open Day at Wind and Solar farms across five states on Sunday 27 October. The Open Day is the perfect opportunity for those curious about renewable energies and the energy transition, or simply those on the hunt for a good sausage sizzle.

On the first day of this year’s EU PVSEC conference, Adelaide-based veteran solar researcher Pierre J Verlinden won the Becquerel Prize for Outstanding Merits in Photovoltaics. The award recognized more than 40 years as a leading PV researcher in academia and at leading companies including Sunpower and Trina Solar. Its recipient, now a board member of Australian solar technology provider BT Imaging, spoke to pv magazine about what is needed from solar to stave off catastrophic climate change.

A solar energy capital in regional Victoria, a community power hub and a renewable energy auction, these are just some of the innovative and sustainable solutions being celebrated at this year’s Victorian Premier’s Sustainability Awards.

The impacts of the cap that Victoria’s Solar Homes program is having on local installers are becoming more pronounced, as some express fears that the system is being exploited by unscrupulous industry players. Solar Cutters says some installers are receiving “pitiful” numbers of installs under the scheme, leaving them “dumbfounded”.

Metal wrap-through technology combined with PERC confers multiple benefits on Sunport Power’s new solar modules. Add the involvement of UNSW’s Professor Martin Green in the product development, Sunport’s 1.4 GW production capacity and a 30-year performmance warranty by insurer Lloyds… Two Australian wholesalers have started shipping.

Solar could meet approximately 68% of global energy demand with other renewables making up the rest, according to a new report. A 100% renewable energy system could also create 22 million solar jobs by 2050, the study claims. Keeping global warming below 1.5 degrees C, though, would require FITs for projects up to 40 MW in capacity, auctions for bigger systems, removing fossil fuel and nuclear subsidies and providing more education and R&D and less red tape.

Today’s Informa Commercial & Large Scale Solar Conference, held in Sydney, revelled in skyward-shooting graphs of projected solar farm outputs and commercial rooftop prospects. But there were recommendations also for greater integration and collaboration between industry participants, and a call to “hub” together.

The 2018 NSW Smart Energy Summit was crowded with attendees eager to hear former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, unfettered by party politics, address the state’s solar and renewables sector.

Mercedes Benz execs join Eguana Technologies to help drive Calgary-based business’ global expansion plans.

The All-Energy Australia 2018 exhibition & conference kicked off in Melbourne today. Safety of products and quality assurance was prominent in discussions at the country’s largest PV conference and trade show in its early hours. Big funding announcements at the opening plenary made headlines.