Australia

HyFuel Solar Refinery, a subsidiary of Vast Renewables has been awarded $700,000 through an Australia-Singapore low emissions technologies initiative for maritime and port operations.

The Australian government’s move to introduce new standards for vehicle-to-grid charging enables the nation’s electric vehicle owners to tap into the technology to charge their car batteries when they want and discharge back into their house or the grid when it suits their schedule.

A 61 MW off-grid hybrid system powering the Tropicana gold mine in Western Australia is reporting better than expected performance outcomes from the 24 MW solar farm, grid-forming 13 MW battery energy storage system and 24 MW wind turbines.

The integration of renewable energy and digital infrastructure is a growing area attracting investors, according to survey findings by a new IMF Investors report, showing 80% of a survey respondents plan to increase their infrastructure equity in renewable energy and environmental options.

Cloud energy storage has been investigated as an efficient optimisation method for vehicle-to-grid charging stations, where power between them could be exchanged without physical connections.

China-headquartered smart solutions company Leapting’s specialised robots are helping speed up the installation of Neoen’s Culcairn solar farm in New South Wales, which the company says reduces labour intensity and mitigates construction safety risks.

Australian battery tech company Li-S Energy has inked a stratospheric deal with New Zealand uncrewed aircraft developer Kea Aerospace, to incorporate its lightweight tech into the solar powered aircraft and extend flighttime from a day to many months.

University of New South Wales’ researchers using artificial intelligence to aid analysis of solar cell degradation, developing innovative green ammonia production and an end-of-life electric vehicle battery solution are recipients of commercialisation grants.

Allegro Energy has unveiled a breakthrough innovation in long-duration energy storage with Australia’s first locally manufactured microemulsion flow battery that will be piloted in partnership with Origin Energy at the Eraring power station.

Robots on solar sites are not new; they have been deployed to automate everything from operations and maintenance to inspection and cleaning. In recent months, there has been an uptick in interest in robots for installation, particularly among utility-scale solar developers dealing with staff shortages, safety concerns, rising costs, and pressure to build.