News

Around 34.5 GW of PV was installed in China in the first three quarters – 1.5 GW more than expected by IHS analysts, who have raised their full-year guidance.

UK-based renewable energy developer Eco Energy World has reached financial close on two Queensland projects – the 20 MW Chinchila Solar Farm and the 34 MW Brigalow Solar Farm. Combined, the projects constitute nearly $70 million in capex.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia will source 65% of its power from renewable energy by next year and will go completely green by 2030, as Australia’s first business to join 154 international companies that signed up to the global initiative RE100.

The China-headquartered battery manufacturer has joined Germany’s sonnen as an exclusive approved battery storage provider for the South Australian Home Battery Scheme. Alpha-ESS plans to set up a manufacturing facility in Adelaide, where it will build more than 8000 batteries a year and create up to 120 jobs.

German inverter supplier SMA has continued to build on its very strong position in the Australian large scale solar market segment, being selected to supply what will be the largest PV power plant in the country. The Limondale Solar Farm in NSW will 57 SMA MPVS systems and two SMA Power Plant Controllers.

A team of researchers from Germany’s Martin Luther University Halle Wittenberg has developed a new approach to perovskite cell production, which they say could result in better stability and longer lifetimes. The team also made detailed observation of the perovskite’s formation and decay, which could help to inform further research into high performance solar cells.

The Newcastle City Council has begun construction on a 5 MW Summerhill solar farm located on a disused landfill that was once part of a coal mine.

The University of Technology of Sydney (UTS) will cover the equivalent of half of its annual electricity needs with solar power from the 32 MW Walgett Solar Farm in north-west NSW. The power purchase agreement will allow the $40 million solar project to break ground.

The Victorian Branch of the Electrical Trades Union has called on RCR Tomlinson to “immediately pay arrears” owed to contractors in Victorian projects. The union has questioned reports that PV projects, such as the Wemen Solar Farm, are nearing completion.

Hydrogen produced by electrolysers powered by solar and wind in Australia could replace 3% of the world’s gas consumption. The IEA made the observation today in its ‘flagship’ annual publication, noting that by 2040 costs of renewable hydrogen in northern Australia would likely be competitive with hydrogen produced from natural gas.