Australia & US sign energy agreements to mitigate China over-reliance, ensure supply chains cannot be weaponised
Speaking at the Sydney Energy Forum, leaders from Australia and the US have highlighted the importance of not only transitioning to renewables, but of ensuring the supply chains used to make the technologies do not remain as concentrated as they are today.
GE turns to Australia for critical renewable materials
US giant General Electric (GE) has signed an agreement with Australia’s Arafura Resources, provisionally agreeing to offtake from the company’s flagship Nolans Project in the Northern Territory, which is aiming to become a major supplier of critical materials for wind turbines and electric vehicles.
Heat pumps ‘grossly underestimated’ technology for Australia’s decarbonisation
Interest and investment in heat pumps has surged in Europe, but in Australia the technology has struggled to find a serious foothold. Industrial heat pumps could reduce ‘hard to abate’ emissions here by 15 million tonnes per annum by 2050, according to new modelling from the Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity though. Despite the potential, dodgy technology suppliers and schemes gone awry have left a bad taste in Australia’s mouth, CEO Jarrod Leak tells pv magazine Australia.
First cathode precursor plant opens in WA university in move to capture battery value chain
As Australia seeks to move beyond its global quarry status, the country’s first Cathode Precursor Production Pilot Plant launched on Monday in Western Australia’s Curtin University.
No let-up in sight for polysilicon price hikes
A prominent analyst in China expects the price of the solar panel raw material to pass CNY 300 (AU$65.5) per kg soon and says the sky-high prices will continue at least through September.
Study shows solar panel output exceeds energy input by 100 times
The green credentials of solar PV technology have been reinforced with Singapore-headquartered manufacturer Maxeon Solar Technologies releasing details of an independent study that shows the energy output of its Maxeon 3 panels is more than 100 times greater than the input required to make the solar panels.
IEA warns one-third of global PV manufacturing capacity at risk of bankruptcy
A new report from the International Energy Agency stresses the importance of geographically diversifying the global PV supply chain. This would prevent supply chain vulnerability to bankruptcies and underinvestment.
Thin film solar may have carbon intensity advantage over silicon
Thin-film cadmium telluride panels may have a US$0.02 to US$0.04 per watt carbon cost advantage over traditional polysilicon, said the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in an analysis of embodied carbon, embodied energy, and energy payback.
ESI begins work on ‘Australian first’ flow battery manufacturing facility
Construction has commenced on Australia’s first large-scale iron-flow battery manufacturing facility in Central Queensland, one of a series of projects the developer says has the potential to deliver 20% of the nation’s renewable energy storage needs.
JinkoSolar commissions 20 GW n-type ingot fab
In other news, DAH Solar announced a 5 GW TOPCon solar module factory in Anhui province and Tongwei further raised the prices of its solar cells.
