News

The Queensland government will explore whether hydrogen fuel cells can be used for heavy freight trains, preceding that news with the launch of what is believed to be the first hydrogen powered police car in the southern hemisphere.

Neoen today announced construction has begun on its 100 MW/200 MWh Capital Battery, which doubled from its initial 50 MW capacity proposed last year. The battery is to be built 10km southeast of the Australian capital, Canberra.

An Italian company has developed a system that can store energy from wind, solar and grid electricity by compressing and using CO2 without any emissions. The system draws CO2 from an inflatable atmospheric gas holder, stores it, and uses it to produce power again, when demand for stored energy arises.

A $15 billion green hydrogen project that utilises solar powered water-from-air technology to save on the cost of hydrogen generation and save the precious water resources of arid regions, has received Major Project Status from the Northern Territory government and aims to be in commercial production by 2023.

Hitachi Energy has won Northern Territory Labor’s tender for the Darwin-Katherine ‘Big Battery’, which is expected to unlock more capacity for residential and industrial PV, generate cost savings of $9.8 million and pay for itself in approximately five years.

Australia’s Clean Energy Regulator will begin trials of its hydrogen Guarantee of Origin scheme. Backed by the Australian federal government, the scheme will aim to align with international standards and provide confidence to trading partners in the burgeoning industry.

Australia’s National Broadband Network Corporation, will be switching to 100% renewable electricity by the end of 2025, as part of the global RE100 renewable energy initiative. It is the first government business enterprise to join, according to RE100 Australia Coordinator, Jon Dee.

Perth-based Hybrid Systems Australia has opened its new much-expanded facility in the Western Australian capital ahead of significant expansion in the outlay of its stand-alone power systems to regional and remote parts of the state.

New research from Stanford University professor Mark Jacobson seeks to remove any doubts about grid stability in a world powered entirely by renewable energy. The latest study models 100% wind water and solar powered grids across the United States, finding no risk of blackouts in any region and also broad benefits in cost reduction, job creation and land use.

Scientists in the United States developed a computer simulator that can calculate the conversion efficiency of different solar cell materials and configurations – helping to guide research and optimisation of new cell designs. The simulator is available to researchers as an open-source tool to save time and spot the best opportunities for optimisation of any given approach.