Technology

Australia’s national science agency has launched a major revamp of its renewable energy research facility in Newcastle to provide new capacity for researchers and industry to test how technologies such as solar, wind, batteries and electric vehicles can integrate reliably into the grid.

The inverters offer up to 99.2% efficiency, 200% PV oversizing, dual battery inputs, IP65 protection, and support for installations up to 144 kWh of storage capacity.

UNSW researchers have developed an intrinsic-adjusted single-diode model that explicitly accounts for radiative and Auger recombination, improving I–V curve accuracy and reducing root mean square error by up to a factor of three. The model is claimed to better predict performance near open-circuit voltage and maximum power point.

Australian Solar Enterprises has submitted plans for a new large-scale solar and battery project in Queensland for federal environmental approval, saying the 400 MW solar farm will utilise a ground-mounted racking system that eliminates the need for concrete foundations and permanent footings.

Analysis from BloombergNEF finds the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) of a typical fixed-axis solar farm increased by 6% year-on-year in 2025 to stand at $55/MWh, but innovation and competition are expected to see costs fall by 30% through to 2035.

An Australian research team has developed a five-step, rule-based method that detects and classifies underperformance in PV systems using only AC-side inverter data. Validated across more than 1,000 systems, the approach offers a low-cost, low-intervention solution for improving reliability, fault response, and PV system performance.

A four-year study found that overhead solar panels in a Victorian pear orchard reduced sun and hail damage but decreased fruit yield and blush colouration. While energy production and tree stress resilience improved, the findings highlight trade-offs for agrivoltaic systems, with potential applicability to other fruit crops like apples and cherries.

A New South Wales-based manufacturer of power and distribution transformers has been granted $22 million from the state government as part of a $52 million outlay to “supercharge” renewable energy manufacturing sectors.

Scientists in Hungary found that ground-mounted solar modules at an intermediate elevation of 1.1 metres achieve the highest efficiency and power output due to improved airflow and reduced cell temperature.

RMIT University researchers have opened the door of possibility for self-powered sensors on roads and other electronic devices by generating piezoelectricity using a flexible nylon-film device.