Utility Scale PV

The Gladstone Regional Council has ratified an ambitious roadmap that will be used to help the central Queensland city navigate the transition from traditional coal and gas hub to a green hydrogen and renewable energy superpower.

German researchers have created an algorithm to predict and identify string yield losses or underperforming strings without additional weather data. It could be used to inspect modules, strings, arrays, inverters, and transformers.

The 200 MW Blue Grass Solar Farm in Queensland’s Western Downs region has been officially launched with Spanish renewables developer X-Elio announcing the $215 million (USD 145.7 million) project has now achieved full commercial operations.

Sun Cable is seeking to develop the world’s biggest intercontinental solar and storage project, and has now inked a deal with the Indonesian government that could unlock more than $170 billion (USD 115 billion) in renewable energy generation and transmission operations in the archipelago.

Australia features prominently in the top 10 but the latest edition of Ernst & Young’s renewables attractiveness index rates India as the top market for solar investment while Spain, Germany and the United States are the top three markets for corporate power purchase agreements.

Brisbane Airport Corporation has entered a long-term renewable energy agreement and announced it will develop a 5 MW solar installation on site as part of plans to power the airport’s operations with 100% green energy by 2025.

Fortescue Future Industries will partner with clean energy company Windlab to develop a renewable energy ‘Super Hub’ in northwest Queensland. The Hub is expected to deliver more than 10 GW of wind and solar power, underpinning the industrial-scale production of green hydrogen from purpose-built facilities.

The New South Wales government has received bids for more than 5.5 GW of wind and solar projects, along with more than 2.5 GW of long-duration storage projects, in response to its first tender to secure renewable projects to transform its coal-reliant energy system.

Australia’s Fortescue Future Industries is reportedly exploring an offtake agreement with what will be the world’s largest PV project as it advances plans to build a $9 billion (USD 6 billion) mega green hydrogen production facility in Brazil.

Researchers led by Germany’s TÜV Rheinland have created a database of technical risks and mitigation measures for PV installations. Their broad overview of quantification methods has shown that further standardization is required.