Inverters

Australian renewable energy businesses and technology manufacturers are in the box seat to play a pivotal role in the Asia Pacific region’s green economy transition but they have been urged to build their understanding of the market landscape so they are equipped to seize the opportunities on offer.

The federal government has unveiled plans for a Future Made in Australia Act, proposing taxpayer-funded incentives to advance renewable energy industries, manufacturing, and infrastructure to stake Australia’s place in the global clean energy race.

Building a domestic solar panel manufacturing industry based on Australian innovation could generate up to 60,000 jobs and help cement the nation’s future as a renewable energy superpower but access to capital and focused policies are essential if manufacturers are to reach scale where they can be cost competitive internationally.

China-headquartered inverter manufacturer Solplanet is continuing to expand its product portfolio in Australia with the impending launch of a new three-phase hybrid inverter series designed for residential and small-scale commercial and industrial applications.

Adelaide-based PV manufacturer Tindo Solar is expected to be among the first applicants for a grant from the Australian government’s $1 billion Solar Sunshot program as it looks to scale up its production capacity to compete in a growing domestic market dominated by imports.

Solar panel manufacturing in Australia has reached a new zenith with a commitment by two industry leaders to explore the possibilities of establishing a commercial-scale advanced solar panel manufacturing facility in the heart of New South Wales coal country.

Energizer Solar, the licensee for US battery giant Energizer, has selected Australia as the first market to launch its renewable home ‘ecosystem.’ Including new hybrid inverters, a hybrid battery, solar panels, and soon an EV charger, the product suite has been certified and is landing on Australian shores “as we speak,” Gavin Owen, Energizer Solar’s Head of APAC Sales, told pv magazine Australia.

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.

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.

Decades of mismanagement have eroded trust in South Africa’s state-owned energy utility, Eskom. Last year, households and businesses suffered daily blackouts of up to 10 hours, or even longer. Solar and battery energy storage are booming but a domestic PV manufacturing industry has yet to materialize.