Markets

On the back of the Covid-19 pandemic, geopolitical conflict and allegations of forced labour in sectors critical to the renewable energy transition, awareness of supply chain insecurity has rarely been higher. Seeking to strike while the iron is hot, the Clean Energy Council and law firm Norton Rose Fulbright have published a white paper arguing that Australia’s own renewable energy supply chains could “benefit significantly” by a more concerted effort to address modern slavery.

Australia’s only solar panel manufacturer, Tindo Solar, has announced a doubling of sales for both solar panels and battery storage in recent months. The manufacturer attributes the boom to the concatenation of rising energy costs, a potential recession, and increasing consumer awareness about the importance of buying quality products.

Electric vehicle and stationary energy storage companies have experienced battery cell shortages this year. InfoLink predicts overcapacity in 2024, but the concentration of production in China means customers elsewhere are mulling deals with miners.

With Australia’s energy system rapidly transitioning from a traditional dependency on coal-fired power generation towards a future built on renewables, the market operator has detailed the engineering roadmap required for the country’s main power systems to operate on 100% renewable energy more frequently and for longer periods.

New provisions in the Philippines define interconnection standards, the certification of compliance requirements, and pricing methodologies, among other matters.

Described as a “masterclass” in shareholder activism, Perth-based mining technology company TNG Limited, owner of the major vanadium Mount Peake Project, has had its leadership team collapse with former AFR columnist elected as the new director, winning 95% of the vote during the company’s AGM.

PV InfoLink says polysilicon prices are clearly starting to fall. Meanwhile, Longi has lowered the prices of all wafers, and JA Solar has unveiled plans to build a new 10 GW factory.

Seven New South Wales local councils have united to secure a long-term electricity purchasing agreement utilising the 115 MW Metz Solar Farm which will deliver enough renewable energy to allow the participating councils’ facilities and assets to transition to 100% renewables in a staged approach from January 2023.

Risen and Longi have revealed plans to each build 10 GW factories, while Canadian Solar has reported solid earnings and Daqo has secured a big polysilicon order.

The Clean Energy Council has reiterated calls to reform the grid connection process to provide increased certainty and security for investors after a new report revealed only one renewable energy generation project reached financial close in Australia in the third quarter of 2022.