Tweed Shire Council revs up solar installations
On New South Wales’s Northern Rivers the Tweed Shire Council has unanimously voted to push into the second phase of its pursuit of net zero emissions from its electricity usage by 2030. The move will see the Council’s solar capacity almost triple through 10 new solar installations.
South Korea kicks off 2 GW PV tender
The Northeast Asian nation has included PV projects exceeding 20 MW in size for the first time in its solar energy procurement scheme. Selected projects will be awarded a fixed rate under a 20-year contract under the country’s renewable energy certificate (REC) scheme and will sell electricity to local power distributors.
Absorbent glass mat battery for residential storage
Silicon Valley-based start-up Gridtential has secured US$12 million (AU$15.5m) in funds to develop what it calls the world’s first factory-ready, single-block, 24V, deep-cycle lead battery. The product is claimed to be ideal for personal mobility vehicles and renewable energy storage in homes and offices.
Sport’s 20,000 MWh goal — ACF throws down the solar gauntlet
A team ethic can achieve more than individual courageous acts. The Australian Conservation Foundation has launched a new campaign to inspire sporting venues and clubs to go solar!
NSW feed-in-tariffs to drop in line with falling wholesale electricity prices
Recommendations by the NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal will see payback times for solar systems extended, but also favour battery uptake.
How to retrieve 36% in power losses at the solar-to-electrolysis end of hydrogen production
An Australian innovation, the unassuming-looking CQSola power controller has under-the-hood smarts that could significantly cut the cost of hydrogen produced using solar energy.
China mandates energy storage as it sets 16.5% solar and wind target for 2025
The National Energy Administration has ordered grid companies to supply enough network connection points for all the solar and wind projects registered in 2019 and 2020, and said variable renewables should be supplying 11% of the nation’s electricity by the end of the year.
Pacific Energy to construct Fortescue’s Pilbara grid-scale battery project
Pacific Energy subsidiary Contract Power Australia is set to design, construct, install and commission two batteries totalling 42 MW for Fortescue Metals Group as part of its Pilbara Energy Connect project. The storage facility is set to be the largest grid-connected battery system in Western Australia.
106 MW Yatpool solar farm finally connects to grid after lengthly delay
BayWa r.e.’s 106 MW Yatpool Solar Farm in the infamously congested north-west of Victoria has finally seen successful grid connection a full 18 months after construction completion. Despite the delay, the German developer says its commitment to the Australian market is unwavering.
Tesla touts the market strength of its Powerwall energy storage product
In an earnings call, the company said that storage deployments grew 71% YoY and solar installations were its strongest in 2.5 years.
