Markets

The Victorian government has announced a massive investment in renewable energy that will bring rooftop solar to 650,000 homes over ten years. The systems will help Victorians save around $890 a year on their power bills with half price solar panels at no up-front cost.

Low emissions hydrogen offers significant exporting potential for Australia, and could contribute $1.7 billion to domestic economy annually, shows a new report released by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). A separate briefing paper released by the Australian government’s Chief Scientist, Dr Alan Finkel, describes hydrogen as Australia’s next multibillion dollar export opportunity.

The 125 MW solar PV plant, which will supply the power-intensive zinc refinery near Townsville, is Australia’s largest operational industrial solar project.

At US$518.4 million, the quarterly turnover of the South Korean-German manufacturer was down 10.3% year-on-year, while its net result swung from a profit of $18.7 million in the second quarter of 2017, to a loss of $41.3 million in the latest quarter. Despite this, the outlook for full fiscal 2018 remains unchanged.

The driving force behind the innovative energy storage system installed at Amsterdam’s John Cruiff ArenA in the Netherlands, The Mobility House (TMH), talks to pv magazine about the death of the combustion engine, and how electric vehicles (EVs) are presenting both strong business cases, and unparalleled levels of flexibility via decentralized intelligence – blockchain technology – for electricity grids around the world.

SIMEC Zen Energy, the Australian energy arm of Sanjeev Gupta’s GFG Alliance, has officially launched its landmark US$1 billion (AU$1.38 billion) renewable energy initiative, announcing the details of its first project – the 280 MW Cultana Solar Farm.

According to PV Info Link, the price for monocrystalline cells in China fell below that of the usually cheaper multicrystalline products. However analysts expect it to be a blip, with multi prices expected to fall and mono to be supported by the Top Runner Program, now China’s main source of demand for the rest of 2018.

The first batch of solar panels at the 42.5 MW solar project, located next to the idled Collinsville coal-fired power station, have been switched on. The project is slated to reach full commercial operation in September.

Green Investment Group, Macquarie Capital’s global green investment platform, has announced the acquisition of a significant solar development portfolio from German-headquartered EPC Conergy. The acquisition will see 88 solar experts join the GIG team.

While the global PV market is set to record its weakest Q3 demand since 2015, the Australian market will finish the year strong across all segments. GTM Research made the finding in its latest Global Demand Monitor, noting that oversupply and falling prices will result in a decline of modules, as a percentage of total utility scale developer cost, from 34% to 28% in Australia this year.