Australia has rapidly become one of the world’s most attractive destination for hyperscale data centres, ranking within the top 5-10 markets globally by capacity. Several factors explain this rise: large land availability within Renewable Energy Zones, fast-growing renewable penetration surpassing 40% across the National Electricity Market, geopolitical stability, Australia’s status as a trusted Five Eyes jurisdiction, and proximity to Asia-Pacific demand centres.

Nearly 20 years after the first perovskite solar cell was created, the efficiency and durability of this small but highly efficient film have attracted attention from industries around the world. Front of the queue is the global defence industry, where rising geopolitical tensions are resulting in record spending by governments to boost capabilities and protect critical systems from attack, whether from natural disasters or more sinister threats like military conflict.

Let’s say you want to encourage more drivers to shift to battery-electric vehicles. What’s the best way to do it?

In the past 12 to 18 months, the NEM’s battery fleet has well and truly crossed the chasm from early adoption to mainstream acceptance, and is slowly becoming a key force in shaping dynamics in the physical market. The build-out is large, the pace of development has been relatively rapid, and — as we saw in AGL and Origin’s half-year results two weeks ago — battery earnings are becoming more of a focal point in company updates and strategy.

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.

Australia’s transition to clean industry could unlock approximately $300 billion in economic opportunity if action is taken to deliver a pipeline of 70 projects, according to a new briefing from two global alliances pushing to decarbonise large scale industry.

New research by Monash University identifies pre-treatment of lithium-ion batteries as an overlooked recycling strategy in the recovery of valuable metals lithium, nickel, and cobalt.

An international collaboration plans to set up floating solar microgrids in remote Asia-Pacific locations to charge high-tech electric hydrofoil ferries and help island communities break diesel fuel dependence.

Bifacial solar panels, string inverters and advanced tracking systems are fast becoming the technologies of choice for developers of large-scale solar according to new data provided by Spain-based software company and analytics provider RatedPower.

Construction has officially started on Octopus Australia’s Blind Creek Solar Farm and battery project in southern New South Wales, one of the biggest DC-coupled hybrid projects being developed in the country.

The Chinese manufacturer said its new back-contact module delivers up to 545 W and over 25% efficiency in a compact rooftop format for residential, C&I, and off-grid applications.

The Chinese manufacturer has launched a fire-resistant version of its Hi-MO X10 module for distributed PV applications, featuring back-contact technology and up to 24.8% efficiency. The company says the module adds enhanced fire-safety design to address rooftop PV risks such as hot spots and DC arcing.

Potentia Energy has completed the installation of more than 161,000 solar modules at its Quorn Park hybrid solar-plus-storage project in western New South Wales, marking a new milestone in Australia’s renewable energy transition.

The Chinese manufacturer said its new three residential battery lines support a depth of discharge of 90% and deliver over 6,000 cycles.

Australia’s rooftop solar market has bounced back into record-setting territory with 281 MW of new capacity registered across the country last month, marking the largest February total on record.

The energy storage efficiency of 12 solar storage systems with capacities of 5 kW or 10 kW has been put to the test, including several new products, all of which achieved efficiency class A. The latest interation of the annual study also examined efficiency losses when storing electricity from the grid and took a closer look at the warranty conditions of the devices.

A new report released by VisNet from EA Technology finds by 2030, Australian household energy loads are projected to rise 35%, with evening peak usage increasing by 60% in homes with electrical vehicles, prompting a call for smarter and more sustainable low voltage electricity networks.

UNSW researchers will collaborate with Sydney solar battery installation company Aussie Solar Batteries to design, develop and test AI-driven energy management platforms capable of optimising solar and battery systems.

The Chinese manufacturer has launched its third-generation Vertex S+ G3 dual-glass TOPCon modules for residential and commercial applications. The new products feature upgraded module architecture and a temperature coefficient if -0.26% per C.

Output from Australia’s large-scale renewable energy sector continues to climb with the nation’s utility PV and wind assets generating a total of 5.0 TWh in February, delivering an 11% increase on the same time last year.

The new product has a maximum wattage of 725 W, a maximum current of 22 A, and a maximum efficiency of 99.6%.

The Dinawan Solar Farm is one of 14 renewable energy projects valued at $34 billion, that has been included in the opening round of the New South Wales government Investment Delivery Authority EOI endorsement.

SERIS researchers have developed a 16-cm² perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell with a double-sided TOPCon bottom cell, enhancing passivation, reducing recombination, and increasing voltage and fill factor.

Premier Energies has unveiled India’s first zero-busbar TOPCon solar cell, a design that marks a structural shift from traditional 10 and 16 busbar architectures, replacing thick silver busbars with a dense matrix of ultra-fine silver lines to collect current.

The Chinese manufacturer claims the new efficiency result sets a world record for industrial-scale TOPCon solar cells on M10-size wafers. The achievement was verified by an undisclosed independent third-party organisation in China.

Norway’s Photoncycle has raised $24.8 million to develop a seasonal home energy storage system that converts excess solar power into ammonia-based hydrogen for winter use.

Queensland-based gas business Arrow Energy has turned to solar and battery energy storage to help power it coal-seam gas operations in the Queensland’s Surat Basin.

The Australian Capital Territory’s first network of neighbourhood batteries is now complete with Evoenergy powering up a 450 kWh battery energy storage system in Canberra’s inner north to help futureproof the city’s electricity grid.

Victoria-headquartered renewables developer and electricity retailer Flow Power has added another solar and battery project to its portfolio with the acquisition of the Dunedoo Energy Project planned for central west New South Wales.

Solar battery installers have been warned to “do it once and do it well” as the number of batteries installed across Australia under the federal government’s Cheaper Home Batteries Program surges past the 250,000 milestone, delivering a combined 6.3 GWh of capacity.