Australia’s SO2 pollution shows coal is by far the most costly generator of electricity
NASA satellite data illustrates that Australian governments are sanctioning pollution from coal-fired power stations that stains Australia with some of the world’s biggest hotspots for toxic emissions. The health burden, calculated in the tens of billions of dollars, should make the cost of coal unacceptable.
Big news as Zhonghuan Semiconductor unveils 12-inch super wafer
The manufacturer says its Kwafoo product improves efficiency and, if used in the optimal p-type PERC type of panel, could boast a module output of 610 W.
$40 million in ARENA funding for South Australia’s first pumped hydro plant
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) announced last week that it would provide up to $40 million in funding to fast-track a Pumped Hydro Energy Storage (PHES) project in South Australia. ARENA is conscious of the need to store South Australia’s fast-growing renewable generation fleet.
Long read: The dawn of megastorage
Plummeting costs, industry maturity, and the ever-increasing penetration of global renewables are expanding the use cases for battery storage technology. Over the past year and a half, storage projects are increasing significantly in both scope and capacity.
200 MW solar project nipped in the bud as VCAT hands down decision
In a major battle over land use, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal has decided to refuse a planning permit for the 200 MW Bookaar Solar Farm, near Camperdown.
Parliamentary inquiry into controversial Solar Homes rebate voted down
Labor MPs together with three crossbench MPs have voted down an inquiry in the Upper House on how the Victorian government’s Solar Homes program was put together and is being implemented. The push for an inquiry was promised to the solar industry by Opposition leader Michael O’Brien at a protest held in late July.
French solar-powered drone startup takes flight in Australia
Toulouse-based startup Sunbirds has set up an office, assembly workshop and maintenance centre in Brisbane. The company is providing solar-powered drones and drone-as-a-service solutions to surveyors, cattle stations and environmental monitoring companies.
Lithium-ion batteries are (still) headed for tariffs as of September 1
The energy storage market is set to be the latest affected by Trump’s trade war, and lithium-ion batteries were not included in a group of Chinese imports where tariffs will be delayed until December 15.
Thinktank says India must prioritize a vertically integrated solar supply chain
To develop cost-competitive solar modules the nation must adopt a phased program and set up 15 GW of silicon-ingot-to-solar-module manufacturing capacity by 2024, according to The Energy and Resources Institute.
Corporate clean energy PPAs to smash last year’s record: BloombergNEF
Power purchase agreements for 8.6 GW of clean energy have been signed in 2019 till July—up from 7.2 GW at the same time last year—with USA alone accounting for up to 70% of the deals. India continues to lead the Asia Pacific region despite registering a slowdown in the activity – almost almost twice as much as the volume recorded in Australia.
