Waratah Super Battery transformer swap gets green light
The Australian manufacturer of a high voltage transformer deployed at the Waratah Super battery, which failed in 2025, has started production of its replacement with delivery scheduled for Q3 2026.
NSW backs pumped hydro to deliver long-duration storage
Pumped hydro continues to push for a place in Australia’s energy transition with the New South Wales government recently declaring two multi-billion-dollar projects Critical State Significant Infrastructure.
Ausgrid launches new community battery to support solar
New South Wales electricity distributor Ausgrid has added another centralised community battery to its portfolio, powering up a combined 10 MW energy storage system in the southwest Sydney suburb of Bankstown.
CSIRO launches $3 million upgrade to renewable energy research lab
Australia’s national science agency has launched a major revamp of its renewable energy research facility in Newcastle to provide new capacity for researchers and industry to test how technologies such as solar, wind, batteries and electric vehicles can integrate reliably into the grid.
New single-diode model tackles recombination losses in solar cells
UNSW researchers have developed an intrinsic-adjusted single-diode model that explicitly accounts for radiative and Auger recombination, improving I–V curve accuracy and reducing root mean square error by up to a factor of three. The model is claimed to better predict performance near open-circuit voltage and maximum power point.
New method offers low-cost solution for improving PV system performance
An Australian research team has developed a five-step, rule-based method that detects and classifies underperformance in PV systems using only AC-side inverter data. Validated across more than 1,000 systems, the approach offers a low-cost, low-intervention solution for improving reliability, fault response, and PV system performance.
NSW transformer manufacturer lands $22 million expansion grant
A New South Wales-based manufacturer of power and distribution transformers has been granted $22 million from the state government as part of a $52 million outlay to “supercharge” renewable energy manufacturing sectors.
New algorithm reduces solar module temperature during clipping, curtailment
UNSW researchers have developed a thermal-aware tracking algorithm that reduces solar module temperatures and UV exposure during inverter clipping and curtailment, slowing degradation without lowering AC output. Tested in Chile’s Atacama Desert, the strategy was found to lower module temperatures by up to 7.7 C.
Humelink West cuts diesel use with hybrid solar power system
Transgrid’s HumeLink West project is cutting diesel use to just one hour per day by using a hybrid solar power system at a substation site.
NSW pledges $15 million to boost renewable energy workforce
Jointly funded with the Australian government, the New South Wales government is investing $15 million over four years to train the skilled workforce needed for the state’s renewable energy rollout.
