Wärtsilä urges industry to improve in wake of Bouldercombe battery fire
The company supplying the technology for what has been branded Australia’s “biggest battery” has cautioned that manufacturers must ramp up their focus on hardware, increase investment in advanced software and improve testing practices to minimise the risk of lithium-ion batteries catching fire.
ACCC sounds fresh warning for LG-branded home batteries
South Korean electronics manufacturer LG has updated the recall of its solar batteries with Australia’s consumer watchdog warning owners of LG-branded batteries to “immediately” switch off their solar storage systems amid concerns the battery may overheat and ignite.
Germany, Austria hit by multiple solar battery fires linked to LG
pv magazine has learned that five solar-related fires in Germany and Austria occurred in late September. Photographs show that two of the blazes were likely caused by residential batteries manufactured by LG.
How long do residential solar inverters last?
A range of different factors can affect the productive lifespan of residential solar inverters.
Three major, Indigenous-led solar and storage projects announced for the NT in $1 billion investment plan
Desert Springs Octopus has announced three solar and storage projects between 150 MW and 10 MW for the Northern Territory which it will pursue in partnership with First Nations groups, the Larrakia Nation and Jawoyn Association.
‘Don’t want to sleepwalk’: potential cyberattack surfaces open with DER devices
Australia’s world-leading uptake of distributed energy resources introduces potential new entry points to the grid, ushering in a legion of complex and novel cybersecurity considerations. The first in a two-part series, pv magazine Australia talks to experts about at what’s being done in this rapidly evolving landscape and where vulnerabilities lay.
Weekend read: Solar recycling’s glass ceiling and other problems
The insolvency of a major Australian solar recycler has highlighted the complexity of remodelling a linear-thinking industry and society into a circular one, reports pv magazine Australia’s Bella Peacock.
Research shows polycrystalline panels from 11 different producers degrade more than warranty rate
A research group in Ghana has conducted a series of tests to assess the performance of polycrystalline solar modules in PV systems operating in their home country for at least 5 years. They found that the vast majority of the panels may ‘fail’ before 20 years in operation under outdoor conditions.
PV Module Reliability Scorecard released by PVEL
2023 Scorecard names 250 types of solar modules from 35 manufacturers as Top Performers.
Weekend read: Bigger modules, bigger headaches?
The debate continues over whether super-sized, high-power solar modules are a good thing for the industry and they appear to be here to stay. Vicente Parra and James Whittemore, from Enertis Applus+, consider the pitfalls to avoid when designing high-power solar projects.
