Technology

Monash University has announced plans to develop a PV powered microgrid at its Clayton Campus in Melbourne. The microgrid will meet the energy demands of the campus, provide ancillary services to Victoria’s grid, and provide an example for further research and industry engagement with renewable-centered energy systems.

The modern PV industry has lost one its pioneering researchers. The University of New South Wales’ Stuart Wenham died on Saturday December 23, after having being diagnosed with a malignant melanoma in September. He was 61 years old.

The Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS) announced a new efficiency milestone, achieving 21.5% average cell efficiency for its fully screen printed bifacial silicon technology. According to SERIS, the milestone was achieved at pilot-scale production using commercially available wafers

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has announced that it will award multiple Australian universities and research institutes with a total of $29.2 million to support early-stage research into new solar innovations.

Under the Cooperative Research Center Program 4th Selection Round, the Australian Federal Government will extend a grant for a smart home energy management system. Other awarded green projects involve an energy storage technology alternative for lithium-ion batteries and innovative generation of low cost, zero-emission, reliable electricity.

A funding agreement has been signed between Australian solar cell producer Greatcell and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, which pledged to allocate $6 million to underpin commercial development of perovskite solar cells.

Given the current pace of installation of new wind and solar power facilities, Australia’s commitments to carbon reduction made at the COP21 climate conference in Paris can be met at zero net cost, shows a new study by Australian National University.

A paper published by consultancy DNV GL forecasts major growth in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) applications within renewable energy, and outlines the risks and opportunities of such technologies.

California’s grid operator (ISO) says that a joint National Renewable Energy Lab, First Solar and the California Independent System Operator project shows that renewable energy plants with smart inverter technology can provide grid services similar to, or in some cases better than conventional generation.

European research group Solliance has announced new conversion efficiencies of 13.5% (cell) and 12.2% (module) for its perovskite based PV technology. The group states that the records were achieved in a factory setting, using an industrially scalable roll to roll process.