Lithium-ion batteries are everywhere, powering everything from consumer electronics to electric vehicles, residential PV storage systems, and, more recently, mitigating curtailment in large-scale wind and solar power plants. EVs are driving large-scale demand for Li-ion batteries which will result in substantial volumes of spent batteries in the near future.

Range anxiety has long been seen as the main obstacle stopping drivers from going electric. But range isn’t the real issue. The average range of a new electric vehicle is more than 450 km, and top models offer more than 700 km per charge. By contrast, the average car is driven about 33 km per day in Australia as of 2020.

An emphatic election victory for the incumbent Labor government means Australia’s rapid shift to renewable energy will continue.

With the increasing pressure to decarbonise the energy system while preserving arable land and biodiversity, agrivoltaics is quickly becoming a vital pathway towards sustainable development. A new report from the IEA PVPS Task 13 lays out a compelling vision for how solar energy and agriculture can not only coexist but thrive together.

In recent years, the world has experienced a significant surge in the number of data centres, resulting in a rise in energy demand, posing both challenges and opportunities for the global energy sector.

Australian battery manufacturer Zenaji has launched a global licensing model that allows international partners to manufacture and rebrand its proprietary Aeon and Eternity lithium titanate oxide energy storage systems.

Swedish truck and bus manufacturer Volvo Group has confirmed it will begin building heavy-duty electric trucks in Australia next year after announcing what it says is the largest order to date for battery-electric trucks in this country.

Victoria’s government-owned State Electricity Commission has re-entered the retail market with the signing of contracts that will see it power approximately 5% of the state’s electricity market.

ABB has announced a “battery energy storage systems-as-a-service” model to add storage to commercial and industrial customers without upfront capex.

The Victorian government has announced applications for the state’s interest-free solar battery loan program are no longer being accepted, declaring that the rollout of energy storage systems under the scheme has exceeded expectations.

Queensland-based investor QIC’s remote and off-grid power specialist Pacific Energy has successfully completed an almost $2 billion refinancing and equity raise that will bankroll the Western Australian company’s growth plans.

Researchers in New South Wales have teamed with the Dubbo Regional Council to trial a hybrid energy management system that aims to revolutionise how buildings consume, store, and distribute energy to improve efficiency while lowering costs and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

An offshore solar farm is being deployed close to an existing wind farm as part of a project in the Dutch North Sea. The developers have recently installed an anchoring system that will hold the solar farm in place while an electrical cable connects the array to a nearby wind turbine foundation.

An 8 MWh battery energy storage system is now helping power one of the largest hard-rock lithium mines in the world with Western Australia-based miner PLS advancing its plans to reduce its energy-related emissions intensity and costs.

Potentia Energy, the recently renamed joint venture between Italy’s Enel Green Power and Japan’s Inpex, has announced the successful delivery of the 93 MW Girgarre Solar Farm in Victoria.

The research group led by Professor Martin Green has published Version 66 of the solar cell efficiency tables. There are 21 new results reported in the new version.

Researchers in China have fabricated a perovskite-TOPCon solar cell with a top perovskite device utilising a self-assembled monolayer aimed to improved cell stability. The tandem cell achieved a high fill factor and a certified efficiency of 30.9%.

Australian researchers have developed electrolysis systems that use urea sourced from urine and wastewater to generate hydrogen at “significantly lower” energy costs than traditional water-splitting methods.

Victorian startup Kite Magnetics has secured a $3.6 million investment from one of the world’s biggest producers of battery-grade lithium chemicals to scale up production of a patented nanocrystalline magnetic material designed to improve the performance of electric motors and generators.

With cost estimates for overhead transmission line projects blowing out by up to 55%, the Australian Energy Market Operator has launched formal consultation on a draft report outlining a range of new and updated transmission network developments along with distribution network augmentation options.

Modular solar developer 5B is Australia’s first recipient of the federal government’s $1 billion Solar SunShot program, receiving $46 million to increase the manufacturing capacity of its Maverick unit.

Researchers from the Middle East have simulated a novel PV thermal module which includes a thermoelectric generator above the absorber layer, conical helical tape in the cooling tube and a ferrofluid. These technologies reportedly contributed to increased PV efficiency and thermal efficiency by 2.12% and 23.34%, respectively.

Western Australian manufacturer Magellan Power has unveiled a new all-in-one residential energy storage system offering battery capacities from 9.6 kWh to 25 kWh and inverter capacities from 5 kW to 15 kW.

Array Technologies has unveiled DuraTrack Hail XP, a ground-mount solar tracker engineered to withstand extreme hail and wind, featuring a 77-degree stow angle for added protection.

A monocrystalline PERC solar panel manufactured by Tindo Solar has been rated the top-performing rooftop module in Australia by consumer advocacy group Choice.

Construction of the 100 MW / 200 MWh Meridian Energy Ruakākā battery energy storage system on New Zealand’s North Island is now complete.

Schneider Electric is supporting La Trobe University in Melbourne to achieve a net zero emission target with the installation of it’s green air-based switchgear, that maintains operation without greenhouse gases.

China-headquartered solar panel supplier and solar farm developer Risen Energy Australia has received approval to connect it’s proposed 100 MW / 400 MWh Coleambally battery storage system to the grid.

New South Wales-based battery materials specialist Sicona has signed a $15 million licensing agreement with Indian chemical conglomerate Himadri to accelerate the global commercialisation of its flagship silicon carbon anode material.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has drafted a determination proposing to grant authorisation to selected distribution network service providers for the procurement and implementation of a national ‘public key infrastructure’ service, or emergency backstop mechanis.