Technology

Director of the Australian Solar Thermal Research Institute, Dominic Zaal, offers a deep dive into the capabilities of concentrated solar thermal technology, including what has been proven by global projects so far and how the all important Power Purchasing Agreements stack up.

Spanish scientists have built a cooling system featuring heat exchangers on solar panels and U-shape heat exchangers installed in a borehole at a depth of 15 meters. The researchers claim that this reduces panel temperatures by up to 17%, while improving performance by about 11%.

In northern Australia, a new hardware-in-the-loop platform is being developed to test renewable projects aggregated generation control systems before commissioning. The platform brings control hardware together with software simulations of passive components to test in real time how different configurations respond. Should the platform successfully complete its upcoming demonstration, it could help solve Australia’s current connection crisis.

Melbourne-based renewable energy company Leeson Group has unveiled an Australian-engineered roof solar PV tile that it describes as the highest energy generating solar tile in the world, with a solar efficiency of up to 19.3%.

Scientists in China have designed a new methodology to simulate the near-surface climate of utility-scale PV plants. Their findings suggest that the new tool could be used to design more climate-friendly solar parks.

Western Power will begin allocating regional properties in Western Australia’s main grid the same electricity supply as their urban counterparts. The shift comes after sustained community pressure since pv magazine Australia first reported on the issue in July 2022.

As parts of northern Victoria remain inundated by flood waters and power outages, the state government has announced $7.5 million (USD 4.7 million) in funding for improved energy resilience through rooftop solar and batteries across 24 towns deemed vulnerable to extreme weather events.

BASF is currently testing Aeromine Technologies’ patented motionless wind-harvesting system.

Victoria’s Deakin University today launched its $10.3 million (USD 6.5 million) “world-class” facility for advanced battery design, fabrication and testing, in Burwood, a suburb in Melbourne’s east.

The demand for electric vehicles in Australia increased by 65% in 2022, reaching 3.39% market share of total new car sales, according to the Electric Vehicle Council’s latest report. Tesla continues to be the dominant brand, with New South Wales and Australia Capital Territory governments topping the charts on policy leadership.