Oceania

UNSW researchers developed a chemically selective, nitrate-based, single-sided accelerated ageing method for TOPCon solar cells that replicates the mildly acidic environment inside EVA-encapsulated modules. The proposed approach enables rapid, physically meaningful screening of front-side metallisation stability, reliably predicting module-level degradation and reducing development time and costs, according to its creators.

A multibillion-dollar pipeline of electricity transmission upgrades is being proposed by South Australia’s network operator ElectraNet as it seeks to keep pace with “unprecedented” levels of connection demand.

Australian solar and thermal energy storage company RayGen says it has achieved a major international milestone with the commissioning of a 1 MW concentrated solar plant in Brazil.

Most Australians now understand the basic promise of rooftop solar: lower power bills, cleaner electricity and, for some households, the option to charge an electric vehicle at home for far less than the cost of petrol. But that promise was built around a particular kind of housing – the detached house with a privately controlled roof, a private meter board and a driveway or garage where the owner can install whatever equipment they need.

Sydney-headquartered start-up WinDC has partnered with United States-based Armada in a move designed to address rising levels of utility-scale solar and wind curtailment in Australia and also satisfy ballooning demand for energy-intensive data centre infrastructure.

New South Wales transmission company Transgrid has shortlisted nine battery energy storage projects with a combined capacity of 2 GW to provide essential system strength services to the state’s electricity grid from later this year.

Australia’s massive battery pipeline continues to grow, with projects being filed and making their way through key approvals.

As part of its regular update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that Australia’s wettest February in 15 years produced solar irradiance deficits of 15–30% across the country’s central and eastern regions.

Enphase Energy has introduced to Australia and New Zealand an artificial intelligence software platform that helps homeowners reduce costs, up clean energy self-consumption and grant control of key home appliances.

Chinese clean tech manufacturer Sungrow has introduced a hybrid solar energy storage solution that integrates Sungrow’s 1+X modular inverter with a dedicated storage interface, PowerTitan 3.0 with built-in DC/DC module, and the solar-ESS Synergy Management System.