Missteps, monster solar farms and hangovers: solar’s 2022 in review
Last year was a tricky one for solar, with each segment from residential to commercial to utility behaving quite differently. The industry trends have been laid out in Sunwiz’s latest Australian PV Report and pv magazine Australia takes a dive into what happened and what there is to learn.
China mulling restrictions on polysilicon, wafer exports
The Chinese government is considering the introduction of export restrictions on solar wafers, black silicon, and silicon casting equipment. It has launched a public consultation process on the proposed measures.
MPower acquires Faraday solar project in Victoria as it grows its mid-scale play
Australian renewable energy developer MPower has acquired the shovel-ready 5 MW Faraday solar project in Victoria. The purchase is part of the company’s broad mid-scale strategy.
Longi increases product warranty to 25 years
Chinese manufacturer Longi has increased the product warranty for its Hi-MO 5m modules to 25 years in Australia and New Zealand. The company says the ten year boost comes “after identifying how important it has become for consumers to have full confidence and peace of mind at the time of choosing their solar system components.”
C&I customers to offtake 25% of generation from Australia’s biggest solar farm
Commercial and industrial energy retailer SmartestEnergy Australia have signed a power purchasing agreement with Octopus Australia to offtake 25% of generation from its Darlington Point Solar Farm in New South Wales.
Acen Renewables starts building 360 MW of utility-scale solar in Philippines
Acen Renewables, a Manila-based developer, is building two solar plants in the provinces of Pangasinan and Zambales.
Australia and Germany tip $100 million into green hydrogen projects
An Australian cleantech company that claims its technology could enable hydrogen production of below $1.50 per kilogram by the middle of the decade is one of four green fuel projects to share in more than $100 million (USD 78 million) funding awarded as part of a collaboration between the Australian and German governments.
Renewable energy generation hits record levels in Australia
Renewable energy generation provided a record high proportion of Australia’s electricity mix in the final three months of 2022, supplying on average more than 40% of power in the nation’s main grid, eclipsing the previous record of 35.8% set in the same period the previous year.
Second-life batteries might beat new ones on solar LCOE in remote locations
UK scientists have discovered that second-life batteries could provide a lower levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) than conventional batteries in school buildings equipped with PV in East African schools. They said the cheapest system configuration uses either 7.5 kW or 10 kW of solar with 20 kWh of storage.
Indonesian utility kicks off tender for 100 MW floating solar plant
PT PLN Nusantara Power has launched a tender for a floating PV project that will likely be built at a dam on the island of Java, Indonesia.
