News

Powering Australian Renewables Fund, a partnership between AGL Energy and QIC, has formally taken control of Tilt Renewables on the same day the consortium called on the Australian federal government to set a net zero 2050 target.

The maintenance cost of an electric vehicle is estimated to be significantly lower than internal combustion engines, and studies show home solar furthers the cost savings and boosts carbon emission reductions.

Producing nutrient-rich microbes with solar PV has the potential to produce more food with fewer resources, according to a German research group that modelled the large-scale production of microbial biomass by combining ground-mounted photovoltaics, air, water, and nutrients.

Mildura Rural City Council will install a solar system with up to 99 kW of capacity at its Mildura South Regional Sporting Precinct, which is currently under construction. A spokesperson for Mildura Council told pv magazine Australia 50% of the system’s savings will be provided to a local group to deliver its ongoing sustainability programs for the community.

The Victorian government has commissioned the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) to seek tenders for six new grid upgrade projects to prepare for the influx of clean energy associated with the state’s western Renewable Energy Zones (REZs).

South Korean company LG Energy Solution has partnered with Australian fintech financier Humm Group and renewable energy retailer Diamond Energy to provide customers with Virtual Power Plant platform. Virtual power plants (VPPs) are gaining momentum in Australia as a way to decrease buyback time on home batteries and potentially add stabilisation services to the grid.

The Morrison government and Energy Minister Angus Taylor have made a renewed attempt to expand the remit of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency to include technologies using fossil-fuels. The Senate, which blocked Taylor’s previous attempt to illegally siphon funding from renewables in June, is set to sit today and the outcome is far from certain.

The Swiss group has acquired an integrated solar roof system solution from an unidentified German engineering service provider for this purpose. The aim is grow this sector from a niche market.

Researchers at The Australian National University working on the photovoltaic potential of ultra-thin 2D materials have made an interesting discovery, the ability of these diaphanous materials to generate solar energy can be controlled by a mere “twist”.

A British-Australian research team has assessed the potential of liquid air energy storage (LAES) for large scale application. The scientists estimate that these systems may currently be built at a cost between €300 and €600 (AU$480 to $960) per megawatt-hour and that a positive business case could be favoured by certain conditions, including a determined price structure in the energy market and the presence of a grid unable to support high levels of renewable energy penetration.