Technology

Western Australia will install electric vehicle (EV) stations at 45 new locations, creating a fast charging network spanning more than 3,000kms.

The latest news in the NEM is AEMO’s goal to be capable of handling periods of 100% instantaneous renewables penetration by 2025. This is a significant challenge and fitting given the pace the NEM is moving to
supporting increasingly higher levels of instantaneous (and increasingly asynchronous) renewables on a regular basis.

German scientists have applied a new combination of cathodes and electrolytes to improve the stability of lithium-metal batteries. They fabricated a device with an energy density of 560 watt-hours per kilogram and a Coulombic efficiency of 99.94%.

U.S.-based Xos offers a mobile charging station for commercial electric fleets, in order to provide power without making fixed infrastructure upgrades.

Younger students have been denied an understanding of fundamental physics that would inform their understanding of today’s most pressing scientific problems and how to solve them. A group of scientists has reimagined the classroom as an engaging, enabling hub of investigation and discussion.

A new study from Stanford University and Cornell University shows that blue hydrogen can produce more greenhouse emissions than heat produced by coal and gas. The modelling classifies blue hydrogen emissions as carbon dioxide and unburned fugitive methane, as well as lifecycle emissions linked to the mining, transport, storage, and use of methane.

Alan Tudge, Australia’s Minister for Education and Youth, last week announced new grant outcomes under the ARC Future Fellowships scheme. Recipient Professor Anita Ho-Baillie will directly apply her work on perovskite durability and resilience to more cost effectively powering the world’s space endeavours.

As solar and wind make up larger portions of the energy mix, energy storage is becoming an increasingly important piece of the puzzle in keeping electricity networks running smoothly. And as battery costs fall, new business models are emerging to increase the value of battery energy storage projects for both grid operators and project owners. Focusing on two leading countries – the United Kingdom and Australia – pv magazine looks at what’s in store for large-scale energy storage.

The tiny Tasmanian town of Derwent Bridge could provide a big boost for the state’s solar PV energy credentials with the small community to play host to a microgrid project that will evaluate how to better meet the energy needs of Australians living in regional and remote areas.

The operators of Australia’s largest solar farm have turned to a software-based bidding solution as they seek to optimise dispatch and manage the facility’s market trading and power purchase commitments amid increasingly market volatility.