Technology

Researchers from Charles Darwin University have conducted a ‘cradle to grave’ life cycle assessment (LCA) of the four most widely used PV technologies. The academics say that cadmium telluride solar modules have the lowest life cycle impact, followed by amorphous, multi and monocrystalline silicon products.

The Palaszczuk Government is providing funding to accelerate a $1.5 billion transmission link stretching from Townsville to Mount Isa in North Queensland in a bid to stimulate large-scale solar and wind investment and underpin the creation of local battery industry.

The unique solar, wind, and battery project has been completed at Gold Fields’ Agnew Gold Mine, marking Australia’s largest hybrid microgrid of its kind.

The University of Queensland has released a performance report on the Tesla Powerpack it installed in December 2019. Across a range of revenue streams, the Powerpack is already earning the university some serious cash.

Lockhart in New South Wales will become the poster child for hybrid renewable generation plus storage, with a new system designed to attract high-energy industries to its low-cost electricity.

Much has been made of the Covid-19 lockdown cutting global carbon emissions. Energy use has fallen over recent months as the pandemic keeps millions of people confined to their homes, and businesses closed in many countries. Projections suggest global emissions could be around 5% lower in 2020 than last year.

UNSW solar researcher Brett Hallam has been awarded the prestigious 2020 IEEE Stuart R Wenham Young Professional Award in recognition of his ongoing work on the hydrogenation of silicon cells.

The Australian Energy Market Commission is hoping to gather evidence from industry on how they would be affected by the potential delay of the five-minute settlement start date by one year.

Scientists from Saudi Arabia have proposed a new PV panel cooling technique which employs an atmospheric water harvester. The device uses waste heat from the PV panel to collect atmospheric water at night and then releases it during the day to cool down the module. The researchers claim the device may also be improved to produce liquid water, which could be used for the cleaning of the modules.

To help achieve its global-leading renewable energy target of 200% by 2040, the Tasmanian government has released the draft Renewable Energy Action Plan.