Markets

Sunshine Hydro and project partner Energy Estate have signed an agreement to give First Nations stakeholders a 20% equity option in the companies’ Djandori Gung-i Superhybrid project at Miriam Vale, Queensland. The project proposes to deliver up to 600 MW of pumped hydro capacity and up to 300 MW of hydrogen electrolysers.

From the International Solar Energy Society’s perspective, and the vision of a world with 100% renewable energy for everyone used wisely and efficiently, PV module production should not become an oligopoly and should not be concentrated in one corner of the world.

Human Geographer Thilo Wiertz speaks to pv magazine on the particular features that characterised the trajectory of renewable energies after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. He emphasised how the geopolitical tensions arising from this conflict have reshaped the political debate about the energy transition, with the energy security perspective gaining in importance.

Tim Buckley, director of Climate Energy Finance, speaks to pv magazine about the current steep trajectory of solar module prices. He estimates that PV panels prices will end up dropping by 40% this year and predicts the closure of old technology and sub-scale solar manufacturing facilities, both in China and globally.

The application of busbarless cell interconnection approaches could unlock the potential of heterojunction (HJT) technology, primarily by reducing the historically high silver usage of negatively-doped, “n-type” cell technology. As HJT production increases, a wave of applications may very well be on the horizon.

Melbourne Airport is among the organisations taking part in a two-year trial intended to help commercial and industrial energy users shift their demand away from peak times, easing pressure on the grid and supporting the integration of more renewables.

Origin Energy has delayed the vote on its almost $20 billion (USD 12.85 billion) takeover bid until next month after receiving a revised offer from the Brookfield-led consortium that is hoping to acquire the Australian energy generator and retailer.

Extreme weather is a growing risk to solar farms. Future-proofing through advanced technologies, leveraging data from novel sources, and by building both collaboration and acceptance of risk is vital, but rarely achieved today for a number of reasons. Insurers, lenders, developers, contractors and manufacturers come together here to discuss solutions to the intractable problem of weather risk.

Australian Energy Minister Chris Bowen has announced a major expansion of the Commonwealth-funded Capacity Investment Scheme that will now target 32 GW of renewable generation and storage capacity to support the nation’s clean energy transition.

Superannuation fund Rest has announced it will invest $1 billion (655 million) into Australian-owned renewable energy investor and developer, Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners. The fund has a particular eye to green data storage centres.