Technology

Rooftop PV is a potent force in the race to rein in global warming. Read how a phenomenally successful Australian-developed aerial mapping technology is being deployed to speed PV uptake here and in the United States.

In the absence of a national carbon-emissions target and a long-awaited EV policy, Origin and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (on behalf of the Australian Government) are forging ahead with research that will show how coordinated smart-charging of an eventual surge of EV battery storage will benefit consumers and the grid.

Researchers built the device by attaching 17%-efficient monocrystalline PV cells to a mortar roof tile that was doped with a phase-change material (PCM). The PCM solar tile provided 4.1% more power than the PV tile with no cooling agent in the winter, and 2.2% to 4.3% more during the summer.

The Australian government’s green bank intends to move beyond solar and wind investment over the coming year and put its capital to work in the nascent green hydrogen industry and grid projects.

New Zealand researchers have proposed a way to assess the technical and economic feasibility of PV-powered parking machines. Solar might be an ideal solution, but the siting of the machines is critical and should be planned in advance, in line with available solar radiation and potential shading.

The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) is calling for submissions on proposed rule changes that would address the integration of distributed energy resources, including enabling export charges as a pricing tool.

The Schools Virtual Power Plant pilot project, part of the WA Government’s $66.3 million investment in solar and batteries in its WA Recovery Plan from the impacts of Covid-19, will see ten schools transformed into VPPs. The two year trial is expected to bring reduced electricity bills to schools, improved grid stability, and increased solar uptake in the local community.

With the disruption of Covid-19 highlighting the climatic impact of the aviation industry, a recent report from the CSIRO funded by Boeing shows that hydrogen fuel’s technological momentum could see clean hydrogen used in airports by as early as 2025, and a full transition from conventional jet fuel by 2050.

COVID-19 has enhanced the conviction that Australia will benefit from advanced manufacturing and sovereign supply. Homegrown battery manufacturer Energy Renaissance is poised to drive home that advantage.

Neoen’s Hornsdale Power Reserve has gone to work in the first half of 2020, virtually tripling the French renewables developer’s storage revenue on comparative 2019 levels. However, this growth was largely caused by a one-off event, and a slower Q2 highlights the need for FCAS policy renewal. Neoen’s Australian solar revenues could also achieve little more than consistency thanks to poor conditions.