Technology and R&D

US-based Sakuu has announced that it has successfully 3D printed solid-state batteries in custom shapes and sizes at its battery pilot line facility in Silicon Valley, California.

Tongwei is offering six versions of its monofacial monocrystalline panels, with power outputs ranging from 400 W to 430 W and power conversion efficiencies between 20.1% and 21.7%.

Last December, Australia’s first large-scale battery funding round fast-tracked eight new grid-forming projects with a combined capacity of 2.0 GW / 4.2 GWh. That same month, the country’s fresh federal government announced it would enact a major underwriting scheme to incentivise renewable storage across the country. The moves echo those which inaugurated big solar in Australia, but the transformative potential of these storage plays will, it seems, take a different shape.

China’s Longi claims that its new ALK Hi1 electrolyser can produce hydrogen with an energy content of 4.3 kWh per normal cubic meter. It says the levelised cost of hydrogen could be up to 2.2% lower than other electrolysers on the market.

The European Commission has presented the final version of its new rules for green hydrogen, with looser requirements to qualify hydrogen as “green.”

German industrial giant Siemens has partnered with Swinburne University of Technology to develop a future grid mapping “energy transition hub.” The project seeks to accelerate the transition to renewable energies by bringing research and industry together while also serving as a learning tool for Swinburne students.

New South Wales network Transgrid has announced it will trial the first dual-cab electric ute released in Australia.

US aluminium giant Alcoa will go ahead with trialling a steam recycling technology aimed at reducing emissions at its West Australian Wagerup facility, after an ARENA-backed study found the technology was not only feasible but cheaper.

The Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity (A2EP) has released a free, online estimation tool to aid Australian businesses in sizing heat pumps to replace gas boilers. The tool estimates the capex, opex, net savings, and payback time based on inputs about heating, cooling, location, and temperature requirements.

An international consortium led by Israel’s Al-Zahrawi Society has launched the Regace project to develop agrivoltaic solutions for greenhouses. It will investigate the performance of a new tracking system across locations and climates and use carbon dioxide enrichment to improve crop yield.