Solar tracker repowering emerges as key to sustaining older arrays
Aging utility-scale solar projects are driving interest in tracker repowering, while asset owners weigh costs against gains in performance and longevity.
GPG seeks green tick for Queensland solar and battery project
Renewables developer Global Power Generation Australia is seeking federal government approval to develop a 290 MW solar farm and 180 MW / 360 MWh battery energy storage system in Queensland’s Fraser Coast region.
Thirty-five countries now operate GW-scale annual PV markets
The latest report from the International Energy Agency’s Photovoltaic Power Systems Program highlights that 2024 was another record year for solar installations globally but large overcapacities of solar cell, module and wafer manufacturing continued.
Australia leads international zero-carbon silicon recovery research
Australian researchers are collaborating with organisations in India, Indonesia and the United States to develop a zero-carbon, automated end-of-life solar panel recycling process using robots to recover ultra-pure silicon.
Ark Energy wins planning approval for 435 MW Richmond Valley solar farm
The New South Wales government has granted planning approval to the 500 MWdc / 435 MW solar farm componant of Ark Energy’s Richmond Valley hybrid project, which will be co-located with a 475 MW / 2,200 MWh battery energy storage system.
Project Southgate to support 5.1 GW of solar, storage, hydro and wind
Developers of a series of artificial intelligence factories being built across Australia at a cost of $73.3 billion, say they will be 100% powered by renewable energy and could stimulate 5.1 GW of solar, storage, hydro and wind projects.
5 GW renewable generation sought in Capacity Investment Scheme Tender 7
Bids have opened for the Capacity Investment Scheme Tender 7 seeking 5 GW of generation in the National Electricity Market, with caveats to be operational by 31 December 2030 and have a forecast generation profile that displaces more fossil fuel generation.
Rooftop solar waste tsunami could come 10 years early if users chase savings
In a novel study to further solar waste forecasting in Australia, the economic decisions of rooftop solar owners have been shown to fast forward waste and recovery needs 10 years earlier than a system’s warranty.
High-rise buildings could soon use gravity energy storage, say researchers
Researchers in Canada have proposed using gravity-based energy storage in high-rise buildings, in combination with photovoltaic facades, small wind turbines, and lithium-ion batteries. Their modeling indicated that this hybrid system could achieve a levelized cost of energy ranging from $0.051/kWh to $0.111/kWh.
TW Solar introduces full-black module for Australian rooftop market
China-headquartered PV cell and module manufacturer TW Solar has introduced into the Australian market a “full black” n-type solar panel featuring an output of 470 W and a power conversion efficiency of 23.5%.
