Markets & Policy

Following Risen Energy’s January announcement that the company is starting to mass-produce its n-type heterojunction technology (HJT) hyper-ion solar modules, it has revealed plans to increase production capacity to 15 GW by the end of 2023. Archie Chen, CEO of Risen Energy Australia, says n-type HJT panels will prove the favoured technology over the coming years, facilitating higher performing solar solutions.

The benefits of microgrid technologies will be explored by the Queensland government as it seeks to improve the resilience and reliability of electricity supply for remote and regional communities with an initial $10 million (USD 6.8 million) allocated to support the development of a pipeline of microgrid projects across the state.

Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen has used the official launch of Australian PV panel maker Tindo Solar’s $11 million production and innovation facility in South Australia as an opportunity to highlight the importance of developing a domestic solar panel manufacturing industry.

Q Cells plans to manufacture 3.3 GW of solar ingots, wafers, cells, and finished modules in a new facility in the US state of Georgia.

The Northern Territory government remains upbeat about the future of the $30 billion-plus (USD 20.7 billion) Australia-Asia PowerLink project despite the company behind what would be the world’s biggest solar and energy storage project having abruptly entered voluntary administration.

Philippines-based energy company ACEN Corporation plans to capitalise on Australia’s “unparalleled renewables potential” after securing a $277 million (USD 191 million) loan facility which it says will be accelerate the delivery of an 8 GW clean energy portfolio that includes solar, wind, battery storage and pumped hydro.

A government-backed incentive scheme established to accelerate the introduction of distributed solar energy storage in the Australian Capital Territory is to be wound up having achieved its target of subsidising the installation of about 5,000 batteries over the past seven years.

A 110 MWp Queensland solar farm that is fully constructed and currently undergoing hold-point testing is one of a trio of PV assets that Greece-based industrial conglomerate Mytilineos has secured finance for as it looks to further establish its position in the Australian renewable energy market.

Schneider Electric’s new Schneider Home platform includes a smartphone app to monitor and allocate energy resources.

Sun Cable, the developer of the world’s largest solar and battery project, backed by two of Australia’s most powerful energy players – Andrew Forrest and Mike Cannon-Brooks – has entered voluntary administration. It is not yet clear what this will mean for the company’s hallmark project, the Australia-Asia PowerLink, though the company’s executives appear optimistic.