Weekend read: 2 GW Sungrow and SolarJuice distribution agreement is Australia’s largest
The partnership between Chinese inverter maker Sungrow and Sydney-based wholesaler Solar Juice has been taken to a new level after the partners signed a 2 GW capacity distribution contract.
Solar companies battle to keep staff, claim regulatory system is depressing industry quality
Solar companies are reporting widespread staff shortages leading to false price points around the value of installers. Scott Mason, general manager of Platinum Solar Designs, says the shortages aren’t simply part of Australia’s broader skills scarcity, but rather are endemic to the solar industry and linked to a regulatory system which is pushing down the quality of installations.
France defines standards for agrivoltaics
France’s environmental agency Ademe has released a set of new guidelines that clearly define “agrivoltaics.”
Printed solar panels developed in Newcastle to power Tesla’s journey around Australia
Commercially printed solar cell technology developed by the University of Newcastle is being put to the test to power an electric vehicle’s 15,097 kilometre journey around the entire coastline of Australia.
Solar greenhouse trials perform better than expected, proving commerciality company says
The results from solar glass company ClearVue’s greenhouse trials at Murdoch University have found the company’s product performed better than predicted overall, demonstrating both strong power generation and thermal value.
Mazda’s Melbourne facility fitted with 900kW solar system, reaching 100% carbon neutral energy use
Mazda Australia’s car part distribution centre in Melbourne has been fitted with a 900kW rooftop solar installation which is contributing to the centre, owned by Fraser Property Australia, now being 100% powered by carbon neutral energy.
Lightweight solar for agricultural water reservoirs
The Genap Energy Cover uses HyET Solar Powerfoil thin-film solar modules, rated at 12.0% efficiency, for agricultural water storage and reservoirs, with an initial focus on the greenhouse and horticulture markets in the Netherlands. Genap said a 12kWp test setup had a generation density of 60W/m2, rising to 120W/m2 within a year, with an eventual target of 165W/m2.
Solar the energy workhorse in latest gloomy IPCC verdict
Photovoltaics can wipe out 4.25 billion tonnes of carbon emissions every year this decade, according to the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Even so, the actions announced so far remain way short of what is needed, with capital flows to fossil fuels still greater than the cash directed toward combating climate change.
World’s largest solar tree record smashed
With a PV panel surface area of 309.83m2, the solar tree is officially certified by Guinness World Records (GWR) as the largest solar tree in the world.
India surpasses 50GW of solar
In the fourth quarter of 2021 alone, solar developers added 3.2GW of new PV installations in India.
