Research

Output from Australia’s large-scale renewable energy sector continues to climb with the nation’s utility PV and wind assets generating a total of 5.0 TWh in February, delivering an 11% increase on the same time last year.

The lab-scale, near-white heterojunction solar cell uses nanoclay-based scattering layers combined with dielectric multilayer films to preserve power conversion efficiency while enhancing visual appeal. The researchers report optical losses of less than 1% at a 50% clay volume fraction, which are significantly lower than those observed with textured glass.

Australia’s national science agency has launched a major revamp of its renewable energy research facility in Newcastle to provide new capacity for researchers and industry to test how technologies such as solar, wind, batteries and electric vehicles can integrate reliably into the grid.

UNSW researchers have developed an intrinsic-adjusted single-diode model that explicitly accounts for radiative and Auger recombination, improving I–V curve accuracy and reducing root mean square error by up to a factor of three. The model is claimed to better predict performance near open-circuit voltage and maximum power point.

Analysis from BloombergNEF finds the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) of a typical fixed-axis solar farm increased by 6% year-on-year in 2025 to stand at $55/MWh, but innovation and competition are expected to see costs fall by 30% through to 2035.

An Australian research team has developed a five-step, rule-based method that detects and classifies underperformance in PV systems using only AC-side inverter data. Validated across more than 1,000 systems, the approach offers a low-cost, low-intervention solution for improving reliability, fault response, and PV system performance.

A four-year study found that overhead solar panels in a Victorian pear orchard reduced sun and hail damage but decreased fruit yield and blush colouration. While energy production and tree stress resilience improved, the findings highlight trade-offs for agrivoltaic systems, with potential applicability to other fruit crops like apples and cherries.

RMIT University researchers have opened the door of possibility for self-powered sensors on roads and other electronic devices by generating piezoelectricity using a flexible nylon-film device.

New research shows how agrivoltaic systems can reshape soil by altering moisture, temperature, and microbial activity, creating heterogeneous zones under and between panels. Proper design and management can boost soil health and crop resilience, especially in degraded or arid regions, though long-term effects remain uncertain.

UNSW researchers have developed a thermal-aware tracking algorithm that reduces solar module temperatures and UV exposure during inverter clipping and curtailment, slowing degradation without lowering AC output. Tested in Chile’s Atacama Desert, the strategy was found to lower module temperatures by up to 7.7 C.