The impact of dust on PV systems in arid coastal environments
A Saudi–Egyptian research team investigated the effects of four types of dust on photovoltaic panels in arid coastal environments, finding that power losses can reach up to 48%.
AIKO signs 1 GW supply agreement with Australian distributors
Chinese solar manufacturer AIKO has signed a 1 GW supply agreement with Australian distributors and introduced its third generation all back contact Infinite series at All Energy 2025 in Melbourne.
2 GWh of home battery storage delivered in less than four months
In less than four months since 1 July 2025, the Australian government’s Cheaper Home Batteries program has directly increased home battery capacity across the country by more than 50% and delivered 2 GWh of battery storage through 100,000 installations.
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%.
