Technology

The Australian Energy Market Operator has issued new warnings of potential breaches in the reliability standards for the National Electricity Market in coming years due to delays in key transmission projects and looming retirements of coal-fired generators.

The organisers of the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge have announced a new set of dates for the 2025 edition of their unique 3,000-kilometre solar car race across the Australian continent, along with some regulation changes.

Australian green infrastructure investor and developer Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners has announced plans to leverage its growing portfolio of renewable energy and storage projects and green hydrogen produced by a proposed 3 GW production facility to manufacture “green iron” in central Queensland.

Decarbonising the transport sector has taken to the skies thanks to Australian zero emission aircraft designer and manufacturer AMSL Aero, which is testing its hybrid electric hydrogen powered vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft in central western NSW.

Perovskites remain a great hope for the future of the solar industry, once the possibilities of tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) and heterojunction PV have been exhausted. A look at the latest perovskite research shows that industry optimism is built on a strong foundation.

The Australian Energy Market Commission has published a new ring-fencing rule for transmission network companies as it seeks to boost competition for grid connection services and speed up the deployment of new solar, wind and battery projects.

The South Australian and California state governments have signed an historic agreement that will see them work together on advancing the clean energy transition and the integration of renewable energies, including green hydrogen, into their respective grids.

With demand for power in Melbourne forecast to grow from its current peak of 470 MW in recent years to 700 MW, electricity distributor CitiPower has begun phase one of a major upgrade to the city’s high voltage underground cable network.

The Chinese manufacturer said the new product has an efficiency of up to 19.46% and a temperature coefficient of -0.30% per C. It is available in bright red, light gray, brown, green, blue-green, orange, and ocean blue.

More than half of Australia’s electricity demand is expected to be met by solar by 2050 but not as we know it with an industry expert tipping solar windows, photovoltaic paint, printed film, and more efficient tandem cells will play a key role.