Technology

New research shows how agrivoltaic systems can reshape soil by altering moisture, temperature, and microbial activity, creating heterogeneous zones under and between panels. Proper design and management can boost soil health and crop resilience, especially in degraded or arid regions, though long-term effects remain uncertain.

The United States company said its Power Control software is designed to help installers reduce costs and streamline interconnection. Among its features is the ability to control aggregate system exports through software-based limits.

UNSW researchers have developed a thermal-aware tracking algorithm that reduces solar module temperatures and UV exposure during inverter clipping and curtailment, slowing degradation without lowering AC output. Tested in Chile’s Atacama Desert, the strategy was found to lower module temperatures by up to 7.7 C.

High-resistivity silicon wafers offer superior efficiency potential but are highly sensitive to edge recombination and mechanical damage, limiting their commercial use compared to more robust standard wafers. Researchers from Longi and Sun Yat-sen University demonstrated that integrating in-situ edge passivation unlocks this potential, significantly boosting back-contact solar cell fill factor and efficiency.

China-headquartered renewable energy technology provider Fox ESS has partnered with Origin Energy to enable its home battery storage systems to connect to the Origin Loop virtual power plant.

The Portuguese company said its new Drone AgroPV Cleaning Agent is scheduled for release in June. It has a safe formulation for crops and soil.

Sydney-based critical infrastructure digital twin modelling company Neara has closed a $90 million Series D funding round to accelerate its focus on solving global infrastructure challenges.

Major Chinese inverter and energy storage solution company KSTAR has joined the Smart Energy Council as an essential member in the lead up to its launch of a new residential energy storage solution to the Australian market.

Norwegian fire safety specialist Bridgehill has developed a fire-resistant roofing membrane designed for use beneath rooftop PV systems. The company says the product is intended to limit heat transfer and flame spread in commercial and industrial installations subject to strict fire safety and insurance requirements.

Real-world testing of an artifical intelligence-enabled energy management system and virtual power plant technology is underway in Dubbo, through a TRaCE funded collaboration between the University of New South Wales, Sungrow and Dubbo Regional Council.