Balance of Systems

The Australian government will commit $1 billion to help build a domestic solar panel manufacturing industry that it anticipates will underpin the nation’s future as a renewable energy superpower.

Australia is among the countries being considered to host a large-scale battery-grade lithium processing plant after Perth-based resources company Pilbara Minerals struck a deal with Chinese battery metals giant Ganfeng Lithium.

Perth-based resources company Australian Vanadium Limited has executed another element of its planned ‘pit to battery’ strategy, producing the first battery-ready vanadium electrolyte at its new manufacturing facility in Western Australia.

Chinese storage system manufacturer Bslbatt says its new batteries feature individual battery modules with voltages of 80 V to 1,000 V and a capacity of 135 Ah. They can be stacked in series with up to 10 battery modules.

Tindo Solar, the country’s only manufacturer of PV panels, has warned Australia must move quickly if it is to capitalise on the manufacturing opportunities presented by the global clean energy transition or risk being left behind.

Queensland-based battery company Redflow has secured up to $1.12 million in government funding to support the development of a large-scale zinc-bromine flow battery prototype and to examine the potential to establish a large-scale battery manufacturing facility in the state.

TrinaTracker, a division of Chinese manufacturing giant Trina Solar, says its new Vanguard 1P tracker system has a maximum length of 140 meters and can be equipped with N-type modules.

Australian minerals company Vecco Group will team with Japanese manufacturer Sumitomo Electric and Idemitsu Australia to build an ‘end-to-end’ manufacturing supply chain for vanadium flow batteries in north Queensland.

Spain’s government has submitted a new incentive scheme to a public consultation. It is designed to support the development of a clean-tech supply chain in the country, including the production of batteries.

The New South Wales government has launched a $275 million initiative to stimulate local production and manufacturing of renewable energy generation, storage and transmission components as it seeks to deliver on the state’s clean energy ambitions.