Australia

Researchers at the University of New South Wales claim to have identified three TOPCon panel failure types that are absent in PERC products. They explained that these failures may occur when the modules are exposed to high humidity and contaminants before encapsulation.

China’s energy landscape is undergoing a staggering transformation propelled by its leadership in cleantech innovation, declining costs in renewable energy technologies and a massive acceleration of its renewables build out, underpinned by central policy support that sees decarbonisation as a key economic goal.

French renewable energy and storage developer Neoen has initiated construction of the next stage of what will be one of Australia’s largest battery energy storage systems after securing a second four-hour capacity services contract for Western Australia’s main electricity grid.

The renewables arm of Singapore-based fund manager Cambridge RE Partners has unveiled plans for its first Australian project, announcing it has submitted a development application to establish a 300 MW solar farm in northern Queensland.

The Australian Energy Market Commission has released a stakeholder driven consultation paper proposing a hybrid model to reform transmission access, aiming to minimise negative impacts on solar and other renewable investments being cannibalised by congestion.

Australian clean energy developers Atmos Renewables and Nomad Energy have received the green light for a 100 MW, four-hour battery energy storage system to be built near Merredin in Western Australia’s central Wheatbelt region.

As rising renewables penetration and electrification place ever more strain on the world’s grids, the use of grid-forming inverters, rather than grid-following models, will play a vital role in network stability.

Australia’s first large-scale solar garden will be officially launched in the New South Wales Riverina town of Grong Grong with hundreds of ‘gardeners’ on hand to celebrate the milestone that has allowed people previously locked out of rooftop PV to access the benefits of solar.

The rollout of large-scale solar in New Zealand continues to gather pace with renewables developer FRV Australia and joint venture partner Genesis Energy announcing that construction proper has commenced on a 47 MW solar farm at Lauriston on the country’s South Island.

The first stage of Acen Australia’s planned 720 MW New England Solar Farm is home to more than 6,000 sheep that are grazing beneath the panels in a proof-of-concept agrivoltaics project that has no-one sitting on the fence regarding the results.