Australia

Chinese-Canadian PV heavyweight, Canadian Solar, is looking to harness the power of poetry with the release of its HiKu Mono in Australia. The innovative monocrystalline module enters the market near the top of the range.

In welcome news for solar and wind developers in Australia, the network rule maker has decided to not to rush through changes to transmission access rules under the much-criticized Coordination of Generation and Transmission Investment (CoGATI) plan.

Trina Solar’s two new bifacial solar modules are touted as a “game changer,” not only for utility-scale projects, but for commercial and industrial developments as well. PV innovation continues to reduce costs and improve performance, but Australia’s outdated infrastructure is doing its best to slow the transition down.

Powering production of solar and wind infrastructure — panels, trackers, turbines, inverters — seems a gap just waiting to be filled in the clean-energy supply chain. Longi, the Chinese mega-manufacturer of solar wafers, cells and panels, has just joined RE100, a steadily growing list of companies committed to powering their operations with 100% renewable energy.

NSW has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 18% from 2005 levels, but mitigation has stabilised. This weekend, NSW Energy and Environment Minister Matthew Kean released the state plan for accelerating emissions reduction to 35% by 2030. It seeks to bring existing and new initiatives; Commonwealth and State funding; the Federal focus on technology and the undeniable benefits of solar and wind generation under a single umbrella.

As the disease continues to spread, its impact on the clean energy industry is growing with the cancellation or postponement of major trade shows and conferences that were set to take place over the next few weeks.

Queensland University of Technology (QUT) researchers say they will play a key part in developing the green hydrogen export industry by driving production, storage and transport projects under the auspices of the newly established Future Energy Exports (FEnEx) Cooperative Research Centre.

Economist Ross Garnaut believes the cure for a corona virus hit and recession bound economy is strong investment in renewables, in our future energy infrastructure.

A new report from financial think-tank Carbon Tracker has found that coal developers risk wasting more than $600 billion due to stubborn resistance to the already cheaper electricity resources provided by renewable energies worldwide. The report finds, in short, that a new coal plant is about as prudent an investment today as a Clydesdale and cart. 

An ARENA-backed trial run by ACT network operator Evoenergy in partnership with French power electronics specialist Schneider Electric and Melbourne-based energy tech company GreenSync will research and test the effect that the integration of distributed energy resources is having on Canberra’s increasingly decentralized energy grid.