Oceania

The City of Brimbank continues to intensify its high penetration of rooftop solar PV with the addition of a new array and accompanying electric vehicle charging station atop a multi-deck in the solar-friendly suburb of Sunshine.

Scientists at Monash University claim to have developed the world’s most efficient lithium-sulfur battery. They say the new device could enable an electric vehicle to drive more than 1,000km on a single charge.

Australia’s transition to electric vehicles (EV) is well and truly underway, so it is no wonder that state and federal governments are teasing out ways to tax its progress. Victorian and NSW governments already devising plans, but is the EV industry ready? And what is more, are governmental plans already out of date?

Cleaning contractors, EPCs and O&M firms are the prospective customers of SolarCleano, a robotic solar-panel cleaner designed and developed in Luxembourg and kicking up a storm of dust and debris worldwide.

The Australian EV passenger fleet may be just a twinkle in the eye of green futurists, but Brisbane-based Tritium, a leader in fast-charging technology, is also rolling out its R&D, manufacturing and enabling infrastructure across more advanced markets in Europe and the US. After posting a more than $47 million loss in 2019, CEO, David Finn talks about Tritium’s outlook for 2020 and beyond.

This cataclysmic bushfire season demonstrates the risk that climate change poses to Australia’s economic and social prosperity. Stanford’s international roadmap to freedom from fossil fuels by 2050 says Australia needs another 280 GW of solar PV and tens of billions of dollars of investment to turn down the heat.

2.5 MW of solar is being deployed at three project sites in Papua New Guinea, with commercial operations likely to begin within nine months. The installations will provide power in the island province of New Ireland at lower prices, while also improving access to electricity.

As the energy landscape continues to evolve to meet the needs of the 21st century, digitalization is growing within generation, distribution and transmission. On the demand management side, Amber Electric is seeking to bring transparency to the market, passing wholesale prices directly to consumers for a $10 flat monthly fee. The Melbourne-based start-up is readying to expand its offering in 2020, as home batteries, EV chargers and other smart devices establish a firmer hold in the Australian electricity market, says Dan Adams, co-founder of Amber Electric.

Unnamed Queensland and Victoria solar businesses have been ordered to pay hefty fines, after being caught misclassifying solar mounting kits imported from China. Earlier this year, the Australian Border Force announced it was tightening screws on the dumping of aluminium extrusions, mostly used to mount solar panels.

Solar and battery optimization technology provider Evergen and solar battery provider Solar Service Group have joined forces to connect thousands of residential batteries across Australia. By delivering significant benefits to consumers, the joint venture hopes to boost the uptake home batteries nation-wide.