Utility Scale PV

As the solar industry moves to embrace ultra-high-efficiency modules, the Chinese PV heavyweight has unveiled TrinaPro Mega, the first integrated solar system in the world that incorporates 500W+ modules. The solution is expected to be particularly attractive for Australia’s utility-scale PV sector.

Private PV manufacturers and project developers alike are set to be squeezed out by the state in the world’s biggest solar market, according to Frank Haugwitz, who has compiled a wide-ranging report as preparations for the next five-year plan gather pace.

pv magazine Australia sits down with Fulcrum 3D, the provider of the most accurate ground-based forecasting technologies for the solar and wind sectors. It’s amazing what a difference a bit of knowledge ahead of time can make.

The Palaszczuk Government is helping to fund a feasibility study into the proposed Barcaldine Renewable Energy Hub, a project with the potential to revolutionise the economy of the state’s south-west and turbo-charge the post-Covid-19 economic recovery.

In its formal bidder’s statement, Philipines UAC Energy has urged Infigen shareholders to accept its takeover bid of $0.80 a share, while Infigen remained adamant no action should be taken in relation to the “opportunistic” offer. Previously, the acquisition of another prominent renewables developer, Windlab, was greenlit in a landslide shareholder vote.

GFG Alliance head Sanjeev Gupta has announced a high-cost refurbishment plan for the Whyalla Steelworks in South Australia marking a major step towards his goal to power the plant with green hydrogen.

A newcomer to the Australian renewable energy scene, Austrom Hydrogen has unveiled plans to develop a large solar project, battery storage and hydrogen generation facility in Queensland.

By scanning millions of iterations, pvDesign finds the best plant configuration and automatically generates over 300 pages of detailed documentation in seconds. The Spanish firm has just landed its first Australian client.

Yesterday I received a call from the people at pv magazine who were preparing for the ‘Virtual Roundtables Europe 2020’ event on this week in Germany – i.e. Tuesday evening (now!) and Wednesday evening ‘NEM time’. I’m told the event will be recorded, with the recording available later to those who have registered, so get your skates on if interested.

One of Australia’s first utility-scale PV projects, the 53 MW Broken Hill Solar Farm in New South Wales, has emerged as a top solar performer in the National Electricity Market in May.