Technology

Wood Mackenzie has called on policymakers to revise the Renewable Energy Target with more ambitious goals and, concordantly, large-scale investment in grid flexibility to ensure new renewables can join the grid. If we don’t act in this pivotal moment, WoodMac believes we will be left holding stranded assets.

Dutch transmission system operator Tennet, which also serves Germany, is planning to create flexible electricity demand and reduce grid congestion by promoting the use of smarter heating systems and heat pumps that can also be powered by solar and wind energy. According to its experts, intelligent control of heat pumps may result in the creation of between 0.5 and 1 GW of temporary grid flexibility by 2030.

Researchers from Swinburne University and China’s Shaanxi Normal University have managed to develop a novel catalyst for highly efficient production of green hydrogen from seawater via solar. This catalyst, which required researchers to invent a prototype device called a ‘Ocean-H2-Rig’, highlights the potential of this technology and that we are only just now starting to scratch the surface.

WePower has delivered its blockchain-enabled Elemental technology to Mojo Power for the establishment of the Mojo Marketplace, an online shopping setup whereby businesses and industry can shop for locally sourced renewable energy retail contracts.

Australian battery casing company, Vaulta, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Quickstep, an Australian aerospace composites manufacturer, to develop smarter technology for renewables. The partnership will likely explore integrating battery casing technology that reduces the number of parts needed to house the batteries in electric vehicles.

Western Australia’s government-owned utility Horizon Power and electrical engineering company Ampcontrol have today announced their joint venture Boundary Power, supercharging the state’s standalone power system rollout and broader industry. To mark the occasion, Boundary Power has also unveiled its new, modular SPS Gen 2 and announced a $10 million deployment of another 45 off-grid systems across the state.

Chinese big-gun Trina Solar has announced that its Vertex S will hit the Australian market in April. Trina hopes the installer-friendly smaller, lighter, and denser Vertex S for residential and SME consumers will capture a significant potion of the booming Australian solar market.

The Japanese brand will continue to sell third-party-made modules under its brand in its home market, as it already does overseas, but in-house PV wafer, cell and module production will halt by the end of fiscal year 2022.

National Energy Resources Australia has actioned its instructions from the 2019 National Hydrogen Strategy by investing an initial $1.75 million in 13 regional clusters across all states and territories designed to establish Australia’s global identity in hydrogen technology and expertise.

Sector coupling may be somewhat of a buzzword, but it also points to opportunities for PV beyond the power markets, which may quickly reach limitations during peak hours of irradiation. Combined energy, food and clean water production presents one such opportunity, with benefits for developers, utilities and communities.