‘The major solar players will shift from PERC to TOPCon’
US analyst Clean Energy Associates made some notable predictions in its Q4 survey of the world solar manufacturing market, including echoing predictions made elsewhere that the new polysilicon production capacity coming online now will help arrest the spike in solar panel prices.
New transmission route to unlock new capacity in Central-West Orana REZ
With the owners of Australia’s coal-fired generator fleet fast tracking the closure of the ageing infrastructure, the New South Wales government has unveiled a new corridor for transmission lines that could help it almost quadruple the size of the planned Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone.
US-based renewable power producer sets up shop in Australian energy sector
United States independent power producer BrightNight has announced its formal entry into the Australian energy market, saying the company’s solutions could play a critical role in the nation’s continued journey towards a renewable energy future.
Nomadic knocks over 2MW solar install in less than 21 days
The merits of pre-assembled and modular solar solutions have been showcased by independent power provider Nomadic Energy which this week revealed it had taken less than 21 days to complete a 2MW install at Northern Star Resources’ Carosue Dam gold mining operation near Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.
State opposition taps Whyalla to host $593 million green hydrogen plant
The South Australian industrial city of Whyalla has been revealed as the preferred location for a $593 million green hydrogen project that the state opposition plans to build if it wins this month’s state election.
World’s largest electrolyser fab breaks ground in Australia
Fortescue Future Industries says the first electrolysers to be manufactured at the facility, early next year, are earmarked for use in Queensland at FFI’s planned green-hydrogen-to-ammonia project on Gibson Island.
Rackless, earth-mounted solar provider earns funding
Erthos secured a US$17.5 million (AU$24 million) Series B from an investor who participated in the startup of Tesla and SpaceX. The utility-scale solar company has a 2.5GW project pipeline.
Origin plans hydrogen hub in place of its soon-to-be-closing coal assets
Origin Energy has announced plans for a potential Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub underpinned by a deal it’s made with mining and infrastructure company Orica.
Organic battery progress brings Adelaide researchers tantalisingly close to full biodegradability
The realisation of biodegradable batteries is a step closer thanks to research from South Australia’s Flinders University, which has developed a 2.8V organic polymer battery. While this battery was made from synthetic polymers, research lead Dr Zhongfan Jia told pv magazine Australia the team’s future iterations will source “materials directly from nature” saying this promises to reduce waste and reliance on mined materials and could have novel applications in fields like biotech.
New IPCC report shows Australia is at real risk from climate change, with impacts worsening and wide-ranging adaptation needed
Climatic trends, extreme conditions and sea level rise are already hitting many of Australia’s ecosystems, industries and cities hard. As climate change intensifies, we are now seeing cascading and compounding impacts and risks, including where extreme events coincide. These are placing even greater pressure on our ability to respond.
