News

China-based PV equipment supplier Ideal Energy Sunflower Semiconductor has completed an AI-enabled pilot line for ultra-thin, flexible heterojunction solar cells, targeting lightweight power systems for space and near-space applications.

CleanPeak Energy has acquired five new solar farm and battery energy storage system development sites across New South Wales from Fortitude Renewables, which are expected to produce 90 GWh of energy per annum.

Origin Energy’s decision to extend the operation of Australia’s largest coal-fired power station until 2029 has come under fire with the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis warning it creates uncertainty that could threaten new renewables investment.

South Australia-based renewables developer Green Gold Energy says it has received connection approval for a 108 MW solar farm and 440 MWh battery energy storage system being developed in the state’s northeast.

Akaysha Energy says its Brendale battery energy storage system in Queensland has commenced commercial operations close to five months ahead of schedule.

Solar and wind now provide 99% of new generating capacity in Australia. Renewables supply more than 40% of power to the main grid. Australia will need six times as much solar and wind to reach net zero through the electrification of everything. This means building new transmission corridors, as existing lines were built to connect cities with coal power stations. But the best solar and wind resources lie in different places.

Researchers have used multivalent amidinium ligands to boost perovskite solar cell efficiency to 25.4%, achieving over 95% stability after 1,100 hours at 85 C. The proposed approach enables controlled low-dimensional passivation layers, offering a practical route for durable, large-area perovskite devices.

Iola Hughes, Head of Research at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, says 2026 is set to be another strong year for battery energy storage systems, with forecast additions exceeding 450 GWh and no material supply constraints in sight. Meanwhile, the initial impact of rising lithium prices is already visible at the cell level, but the full effect has yet to ripple through to system pricing.

Researchers at the University of New South Wales have achieved a record-setting power conversion efficiency with solar cells made from antimony chalcogenide, an emerging PV material regarded as a strong candidate for next-generation solar technology.

Smart Commercial Energy has unveiled a new prefabricated vertical rooftop solar system for the Australian market as part of a collaboration with Norwegian clean energy company Over Easy Solar.