News

With global demand for new energy storage soaring and nations and companies racing to secure battery metals supply chains, a series of major investments in Australia and Australian lithium mining companies is expected to accelerate the nation’s transformation into a critical minerals powerhouse.

Aspiring modular solar array manufacturer Green Energy Systems has unveiled a new Australian-made prefabricated modular PV solution for large-scale applications that it says offers significant cost reductions by eliminating all stainless-steel nuts, bolts and other traditional fitments in favour of a slide-together aluminium junction system.

Longi Solar said it will invest CNY 42.5 billion ($9.4 billion) in 100 GW of wafer capacity and 50 GW of solar cell capacity in Shaanxi province, China.

Amp Energy has agreed to set up a 200 MW wind-solar plant on a build-own-operate basis. It will sell the generated electricity to Solar Energy Corp. of India.

In the last years, warranties on solar panels have ballooned up to 40 years, but far from inspiring trust, these documents can end up eroding it. Described as a “hand grenade,” some installers claim manufacturers’ unrealistic installation manuals and poor claiming processes leave them in the lurch when equipment breaks. “I think its the biggest threat to the longevity of my business,” Mark Cavanagh, owner of Queensland-based MC Electrical tells pv magazine Australia.

An educational event series aimed at upskilling engineers to enter the hydrogen industry is launching in February in Melbourne. The Hydrogen Industry Technical Series 2023 is being organised by the Victorian divisions of the Australian Institute of Energy and Engineers Australia.

Chinese manufacturer Hoymiles has developed a new line of microinverters with up to 96.7% efficiency and outputs of up to 2,000 VA. It said they can be connected with up to four high-power solar modules.

French energy giant TotalEnergies studied the impact of solar panels on crops in order to develop a repository of agronomic benefits. The initial results show an increase in agricultural yields on field crops and a reduction in water stress.

A new report by the International Energy Agency’s Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (IEA-PVPS) estimates that lost revenue from PV module soiling amounts to more than €3 billion ($4.6 billion) per year – an amount that is only set to increase as PV systems grow larger and more efficient.

Queensland-based ReNu Energy will acquire up to a 20% stake in fellow Brisbane company, startup Vaulta, which has developed battery casings designed for reuse and recycling. Vaulta will use the eventual $1 million (USD 700,000) investment from ReNu to scale its manufacturing capability and expand domestic and offshore sales.