Australia

Tests conducted by Canadian researchers at the NREL’s testing field in the United States have shown that ground reflectors based on high-density polyethylene can significantly increase bifacial PV plant performance. They stressed the profitability of this technology is strictly dependent on the location and warned about combining it with inverter clipping.

Economic cooperation between India and Australia may open doors for investment in clean energy technology but challenges still abound in a competitive global market. Vibhuti Garg and Shantanu Srivastava, of the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, discuss the role that public funding and resource pooling could play in supporting manufacturing ambitions.

AGL Energy has completed the installation of a solar-powered microgrid featuring a 5.4 MWh battery energy storage system that is to support the transition of a New South Wales commercial orchard’s operations from diesel to renewables.

Western Australian renewables infrastructure provider Pacific Energy has set up a new office in Victoria with the initial task of managing another first for the company, the delivery of a 26 MW hybrid power system in New South Wales.

Australian battery and inverter manufacturer Redback Technologies has exited voluntary administration and is now under the control of new owners Australia Ebon Group.

United Kingdon-based developer Renewable Energy Systems has expanded its presence in the Australian market with the acquisition of Windlab’s asset management portfolio, including the 60 MW Kennedy Energy Park in northern Queensland.

Tasmania and Victoria have been guaranteed a combined 1.7 GW of the 6 GW of new variable renewable energy projects the Australian government is targeting as part of what is the largest single renewables tender in the country’s history.

Energy management hardware specialist Catch Power has acquired solar monitoring platform Solar Analytics in a move it says will deliver the largest single advanced rooftop solar control and monitoring company in Australia.

Also on the rise: Global solar cell and module manufacturing capacity grew by about 550 GW in 2023; Malaysia launches incentive scheme for residential solar; new solar module recycling process; and more.

The capacity of a battery energy storage system to be built alongside the coal-fired Stanwell power plant in central Queensland has received a “mega boost,” increasing to 1.2 GWh as the state government looks to ramp up energy storage capacity to support the transition to renewables.