Hanwha Q-Cells sues Jinko, Longi and REC for patent infringement
The Korean solar manufacturer has lodged a patent infringement lawsuit against Jinko and REC in Germany, and two more against the same companies plus Longi in the U.S. Hanwha Q Cells claims its three rivals have used its patented solar cell passivation technology to increase the performance of their products.
Sunshine Energy: “A $1.5 billion project…we cannot get that kind of money from Australia”
Following a sod-turning ceremony that took place without much fanfare in south-east Queensland two weeks ago, Sunshine Energy Australia CEO Anthony John Youssef provides some detail on a 1.5 GW solar PV and 500 MWh energy storage project. While light on details about the financing structure, Youssef sets out the proposed construction timeline that, he hopes, will not be thwarted by two appeals lodged against the development.
Victoria changes planning rules for large-scale wind and solar
Under the new planning mechanism adopted by the Victorian government, permits will be required for the power lines that connect new large-scale wind and solar generators to the grid. The public will be involved in the process of deciding power line routes.
Carnegie Clean Energy suspended from ASX for missing results deadline
While it managed to gain past financial backing from the state government despite uncertainty surrounding its landmark wave energy project, the troubled WA-based renewable energy developer has suffered another blow last week. Trading of Carnegie shares has been suspended from the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX).
Siemens wants to take over Kaco
After announcing its entry into residential storage a week ago, the Munich-based multinational has now unveiled a plan to acquire inverter manufacturer Kaco. Siemens has not provided details about the value of the transaction.
Storage preferred to net metering in Indonesia as new rules prove ineffective
According to solar body the PPLSA, around 300 PV system owners have already gone off-grid as the tariff granted for surplus power under net metering was not attractive enough. Several barriers are preventing net metering taking hold, including an obligation to either use locally made equipment or pay more to re-certify imported modules and inverters.
Connections, storage wars and the cost of doing business: Australia’s solar year ahead
Summer is notionally over and analysts at Rystad Energy have coolly assessed the coming year into 2020; in Sydney the Rystad team convened an experienced panel of market participants to give their take on what solar developers, EPCs, investors, equipment suppliers and skill seekers can expect in months to come.
LGCs surrender rate decreases, as prices continue to plummet
According to the 2018 data from the Clean Energy Regulator, the LGCs surrender shortfall stood at 13.9% of total liability as 17 entities failed to meet more or equal to 10% of their renewable energy target obligations, including major electricity retailers – Alinta, Lumo Energy, Simply Energy and EnergyAustralia.
Epho to propagate commercial-scale solar farms in the city
At the Commercial and Large Scale Solar Conference, Epho, an EPC and operations-and-maintenance provider in the C&I space, announced it has developed a model for industrial rooftops to be blanketed in solar PV for the benefit of tenants, landlords and the grid — it involves operating both behind and in front of the meter.
Sydney Uni’s lamp-post launch of a battery built for solar storage
Professor Thomas Maschmeyer and his team of researchers at Sydney Uni spin-off Gelion Technologies have developed a scalable, inexpensive zinc-bromine battery, they say is safe for home storage, remotely serviceable for far-flung solar installations, and cool under pressure.
