New Zealand introduces building consent exemption for rooftop solar
The New Zealand government has brought into force that a building consent is not required to install rooftop solar panels on any building, though conditions apply and installations must comply with the country’s building code.
Australian solar pioneer wins top UK engineering prize
Pioneering solar researcher Martin Green has received arguably one of the world’s top awards for engineers and scientists in recognition of his achievements in photovoltaics and driving the global shift to renewables.
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.
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%.
Rooftop solar commands price premium in property markets
Australian homes equipped with solar systems are commanding a price premium with new data showing they are valued at up to $31,350 more than similar properties without PV installations when it comes time to sell.
Solis unveils 75–125 kW hybrid inverter for C&I solar
The Chinese manufacturer said its new inverters can deliver 160% overload for 200 ms in off-grid mode, ensuring stable startup of heavy loads. The IP66-rated products feature a maximum efficiency of 97.6% and a European efficiency of 97.2%.
Researchers present inverter-based dust monitoring method for rooftop solar
Researchers in China have developed a dust monitoring technique that relies solely on the existing hardware resources of inverters, without requiring extra sensors or meteorological data. Tests on existing rooftop PV arrays demonstrated an accuracy exceeding 96%.
