Oceania

An unlikely union has been discovered by members of ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science, who have found a way to control the growth of phase-pure perovskite crystals for next-generation photovoltaics using water.

A team of researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Cornell University, and Wuhan University have presented a completely precious metal–free alkaline fuel cell with enhanced performance using a carbon-coated nickel anode. Meanwhile, the Port of Rotterdam has offered to supply northwestern Europe with 4.6 million tonnes of hydrogen by 2030. According to RMI, Europe will import green hydrogen between 2024 and 2030. RenewableUK sees room for hydrogen exports from the UK to the EU.

A solar panel incorporated portrait by Jude Rae of Australian scientist, inventor and author Saul Griffith was listed among the finalists of the 2022 Archibald Prize. The portrait embodies Griffith’s renewable energy message to Australia – “Electrify everything.”

Western Australia has been offered a glimpse of its energy future with the $35 million Project Symphony aggregating its first package of residentially generated energy and successfully participating in a simulated two-way Wholesale Electricity Market.

Australian renewable energy developer MPower has boosted its solar PV and energy storage portfolio, announcing it has finalised an $8 million transaction which will see it purchase the Lakeland Solar & Energy Storage Project in far north Queensland.

Victoria’s Deakin University will spearhead what it claims will be the largest recycling and clean energy advanced manufacturing ecosystem in Australia after securing $50 million in funding through the Federal Government’s $242.7 million Trailblazer Universities Program.

Some believe Australia has begun to tip over the “solar cliff,” reaching penetrations that are becoming disruptive to the balance of the grid and to the business models of solar companies themselves. Following notable exits from the market, alarm bells are ringing for solar companies to offer more than just solar installations, writes pv magazine’s Bella Peacock.

The International Energy Agency expects the global expansion of solar PV, wind power and other renewable energy technologies will continue to defy rising costs and supply chain bottlenecks to reach triple-digit growth this year with solar additions forecast to reach almost 200GW.

Singapore-headquartered solar manufacturer Maxeon Solar Technologies has declared it is moving “beyond the panel”, teaming with multinational battery manufacturer AlphaESS to develop integrated solar and energy storage solutions for the residential sector.

It’s disappointing that EV adoption policy in Australia has been put on the back-burner this election, writes Des Hang, CEO and co-founder of Carbar. The concern is that action on this issue will be slow regardless of who gets into power, simply because it’s not generating as much buzz as it should during the campaign.