News

A research team at the Australian National University have claimed an efficiency of 30.3% for a tandem solar cell made by mechanically stacking a perovskite cell and a silicon cell. The achievement meets the first of three 2030 “stretch goals” set by the Australian government.

Tim Buckley, director of Climate Energy Finance, speaks to pv magazine as part of our Only5mins! series about the crisis threatening Adani Group with collapse, the “positive outlook” for Australian renewables, and the nation’s potential to become a clean energy superpower.

The budget signifies the government’s intent to drive domestic manufacturing of lithium battery cells as it waives customs duty on the import of machinery required for manufacturing these cells. It also continues with nil customs duty on critical inputs for solar manufacturing. The budget also aims to support large-scale battery storage projects through viability gap funding.

Sembcorp Industries has connected a 285 MWh battery storage system to the grid on Jurong Island, Singapore. It is reportedly Southeast Asia’s largest energy storage system, featuring 800 large-scale lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.

Solar and storage analyst Sunwiz is predicting an inversion of many of the trends that dominated the industry in 2022. While rooftop solar has bounced back after a disappointing year, Sunwiz founder Warwick Johnston tells pv magazine Australia, the utility segment’s position looks dire.

New Zealand government-owned Genesis Energy and renewables partner FRV Australia have purchased an advanced 52 MW agrivoltaic solar project on New Zealand’s South Island. If the project meets its 2024 operational target as anticipated, it will be the country’s first utility-scale solar farm.

Malaysian oil giant Petronas is reportedly set to buy the Australian renewable assets of German developer Wirsol. With roughly 750 MW of solar and storage projects and nearly double that in development, the deal could be worth between $900 million (USD 625 million) to $1 billion, according to Reuters.

Scientists in Sweden have compared AC and DC topologies in PV-powered buildings using battery storage. They have found that DC distribution systems can achieve energy savings when they are combined with solar-plus-storage systems.

A distribution agreement between Europe-based Enermech and Wolftank Group will see mobile hydrogen refuelling stations installed at remote mine sites and industrial sectors across Australia and New Zealand.

Chinese scientists have analysed reports of thermal issues with vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFB) and existing thermal management methods. They say the operating temperature should be maintained in the range of 10 C to 40 C to ensure VRFBs with high efficiency, weak side reactions, high electrolyte stability, and low crossover.