Australia leads the world in rooftop solar penetration. More than four million homes now generate power from their own roofs, and battery uptake continues to accelerate nationally. This is a triumph for clean energy, and a global example.

Is the NEM on the cusp of a “Bactrian camel curve” in which small-scale behind-the-meter storage splits the evening peak? Within just six months of Australia’s Cheaper Home Batteries Program, small-scale storage is already at a point where it could be supplying up to half of the output of Australia’s largest coal plant, Eraring, during peak load.

Solcast, a DNV company, reports that most of Australia experienced above-average solar irradiance in January 2026 due to a hot, dry airmass and clear skies, boosting PV generation despite operational challenges from elevated temperatures, bushfire smoke, and dust. In contrast, northern Queensland and far northern regions saw significant irradiance deficits.

Australia is still dragging its feet on decarbonising the economy. Last September, the Albanese government committed to a 62–70% reduction in carbon emissions by 2035 and net zero by 2050. However, only one month later, the government conceded it would fall just shy of its 2030 target and likely miss net zero without significant changes.

Curtailment remains one of the clearest signs of the challenges that face both existing and new solar and wind projects in the NEM. Rising levels of curtailment are increasingly shaping development decisions for both greenfield and brownfield projects across the solar and wind fleet. While interest in ‘hybrid’ projects is growing, they still represent only a small share of current installed capacity.

Pumped hydro continues to push for a place in Australia’s energy transition with the New South Wales government recently declaring two multi-billion-dollar projects Critical State Significant Infrastructure.

New South Wales electricity distributor Ausgrid has added another centralised community battery to its portfolio, powering up a combined 10 MW energy storage system in the southwest Sydney suburb of Bankstown.

Sporting footwear and apparel giant Nike has unveiled a world-first rooftop solar “swoosh” with a 1 MW solar array now installed atop the company’s 60,000 square metre logistics facility in Victoria.

Despite the project already being altered four times, a local South Australian council has formally opposed the Blanche battery location as the state licensing process continues.

Analysis from BloombergNEF finds the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) of a typical fixed-axis solar farm increased by 6% year-on-year in 2025 to stand at $55/MWh, but innovation and competition are expected to see costs fall by 30% through to 2035.

The inverters offer up to 99.2% efficiency, 200% PV oversizing, dual battery inputs, IP65 protection, and support for installations up to 144 kWh of storage capacity.

Australian Solar Enterprises has submitted plans for a new large-scale solar and battery project in Queensland for federal environmental approval, saying the 400 MW solar farm will utilise a ground-mounted racking system that eliminates the need for concrete foundations and permanent footings.

Macquarie-backed Aula Energy has supercharged its renewable energy ambitions with the acquisition of five utility-scale solar farms in Australia and a development pipeline of up to 800 MW of co-located battery energy storage projects from British-owned developer Lightsource bp.

An Australian research team has developed a five-step, rule-based method that detects and classifies underperformance in PV systems using only AC-side inverter data. Validated across more than 1,000 systems, the approach offers a low-cost, low-intervention solution for improving reliability, fault response, and PV system performance.

A four-year study found that overhead solar panels in a Victorian pear orchard reduced sun and hail damage but decreased fruit yield and blush colouration. While energy production and tree stress resilience improved, the findings highlight trade-offs for agrivoltaic systems, with potential applicability to other fruit crops like apples and cherries.

A New South Wales-based manufacturer of power and distribution transformers has been granted $22 million from the state government as part of a $52 million outlay to “supercharge” renewable energy manufacturing sectors.

Scientists in Hungary found that ground-mounted solar modules at an intermediate elevation of 1.1 metres achieve the highest efficiency and power output due to improved airflow and reduced cell temperature.

RMIT University researchers have opened the door of possibility for self-powered sensors on roads and other electronic devices by generating piezoelectricity using a flexible nylon-film device.

A global study finds climate change will sharply increase high-temperature risks, accelerate degradation, and raise costs for rooftop PV, with economically disadvantaged regions hit hardest. Researchers warn current IEC standards underestimate future risks, urging urgent updates to avoid stranded assets and rising electricity costs.

New research shows how agrivoltaic systems can reshape soil by altering moisture, temperature, and microbial activity, creating heterogeneous zones under and between panels. Proper design and management can boost soil health and crop resilience, especially in degraded or arid regions, though long-term effects remain uncertain.

The United States company said its Power Control software is designed to help installers reduce costs and streamline interconnection. Among its features is the ability to control aggregate system exports through software-based limits.

The Chinese manufacturer said its 15 kW three-phase low-voltage hybrid inverter is paired with the stackable BP5000 5 kWh battery supporting up to 120 kWh. It features three MPPTs, 150% oversized PV input, and smart load management for optimised self-consumption.

High-resistivity silicon wafers offer superior efficiency potential but are highly sensitive to edge recombination and mechanical damage, limiting their commercial use compared to more robust standard wafers. Researchers from Longi and Sun Yat-sen University demonstrated that integrating in-situ edge passivation unlocks this potential, significantly boosting back-contact solar cell fill factor and efficiency.

The latest report from the International Energy Agency’s Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme says second-life PV modules have the potential to reduce waste and extend the value of solar assets, but their market today remains underdeveloped and requires advances in technical qualifications, scalable reuse infrastructure and supportive policy frameworks.

The Portuguese company said its new Drone AgroPV Cleaning Agent is scheduled for release in June. It has a safe formulation for crops and soil.

A New Zealand government program subsidising and testing battery storage and solar systems on farms across the country, have announced an inaugural uptake of 32 agricultural businesses have signed on to its Solar on Farms program.

The global capacity of utility-scale batteries has increased by more than 12 times between 2020 and 2024, according to the International Energy Agency Electricity 2026 report.

The regional Victorian city of Bendigo has outpaced Melbourne for its uptake of residential batteries under the federal government’s Cheaper Home Batteries program.

The Australian government has given the 450 MW Wooderson Solar Farm in Central Queensland a green light to progress without further federal assessment.

A record five large-scale renewable energy generation projects totalling 1.2 GW of capacity reached financial close across Australia in the last quarter but industry figures say more needs to be done to ensure that investment momentum continues.