Technology

Australian manufacturer GreatCell has built a cell with roll-to-roll coating technology. It designed it without a hole transport layer (HTL) and used carbon composite back contacts, which offer excellent electrical conductivity.

The Australian Energy Market Operator plans to launch a world-first ‘connections simulator’ this year after completing pilot testing of the online tool that is designed to help fast-track the evaluation and approval process for new clean energy grid connections.

West Australian smart solar glass developer ClearVue has made the move into the residential housing market, securing its first order to supply its power-generating solar PV windows for a luxury residence being constructed in the Australian Capital Territory.

University of New South Wales researchers have teamed up with Tindo Solar to develop a line of semi-transparent modules, specialised for agrivoltaic cropping, which will use nanoparticles tuned to capture different parts of the light spectrum. “There is evidence you don’t need the full spectrum and some plants will work even better if you provide them with only part of the spectrum,” project lead and UNSW Associate Professor Ziv Hameiri tells pv magazine Australia. Crucially, he says, the project will also open a line between farmers, solar researchers and industry, creating the potential for mutual benefits.

Australia’s largest network battery will be built at the site of the former coal-fired Lake Munmorah Power Station as the New South Wales government accelerates its plans to fill the gap created by the fast-tracked closure of the country’s biggest coal generator.

JinkoSolar has set another world record for n-type solar cell efficiencies with its TOPCon technology, this time reaching 26.1%. The new record was confirmed by China’s National Institute of Metrology.

Enabling future energy flows at the lower-voltage distribution level? Unlikely. Wide-scale hardware upgrades would cost billions if not trillions, especially in Australia’s far reaches. Software and digital solutions are identifying new cost-effective ways of letting more sun into the grid.

Shell Energy Australia has been awarded $9.1 million from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency to recruit at least 40 commercial customer sites, including shopping centres and supermarkets, to begin shifting how and when they use electricity – a demonstration of the potential of flexible demand.

Russian researchers have transmuted poisonous Sosnowsky’s hogweed into high-grade anode material for sodium-ion batteries. The obtained material has a Coulombic efficiency of 87%, which is on par with the best reported results for hard carbons synthesised from other raw materials.

World-beating Australian solar technology company SunDrive has completed a new $21 million (USD 13 million) funding round which will help commercialise its revolutionary solar cell technology that replaces silver with copper to improve solar panel efficiency and reduce costs.