Installations

Renac Power’s new plug-and-play battery has a storage capacity of 3.74 kWh, but it can be enhanced in series with up to five batteries to 18.7 kWh. It has a nominal voltage of 96 V and a voltage range of 81 V to 108 V.

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.

Business magnate Elon Musk has avoided what would have been the largest judgment in US history on an individual executive.

Australian energy developer Maoneng has unveiled ambitious plans to build an almost 1GW solar PV farm and battery energy storage facility in regional New South Wales.

Origin Energy’s ambition to accelerate the growth of its renewable energy portfolio saw progress this week with the acquisition of the pre-construction 900 MW Yarrabee Solar Farm. Origin’s new renewable expansion strategy took shape after conceding in 2021 that its fossil fuel business was haemorrhaging under the strain of low renewables prices.

France’s environmental agency Ademe has released a set of new guidelines that clearly define “agrivoltaics.”

Solar might be more efficient than nuclear energy to supply power for a six-person extended mission to Mars that will involve a 480-day stay on the planet’s surface before returning to Earth, according to new US research.

Global solar supply chain issues and the Chinese energy crisis which hit in the second half of last year have, ironically, led to a “massive” oversupply of solar panels in Australia, according to major distributors. The tension between increased global panel costs and the glut of them within Australia has led to some messy pricing and strange market dynamics on the ground.

Developer Renewable Energy Partners has announced plans for a 180 MW solar PV project, possibly with a battery storage system, in the Western Downs region of Queensland.

The amount of solar installers offering storage solutions grew considerably in 2021 and promises to surge again this year, according to an annual survey by EUPD Research. The research centre has also released the top three 2021 brands for solar modules, inverters and storage in the Australian market, offering insights into where companies are buying equipment and which segments are seeing the most growth.